■' 


K-^ 


vv, 


k      ' 


'  r 


ARCHIBALD  ALEXANDER.    €| 


I 


SERMONS 


O   N 


SOME     OF     THE    FIRST 


PRINCIPLES  AND  DOCTRINES 


O   F 


TRUE     RELIGION, 


By  Nathanael  Emmons,  d.  d< 

Paftor  of  the  Church  in  Framklin,  Maffachufdts. 
PUBLISHED  ACCORDING  TO  ACT  OF  CONGRESS. 


PRINTED   AT    WRENTHAM,   MASSACHUSETTS, 

5y  NATHANIEL   and    BENJAMIN   HEATON; 

xxxxx 
1800, 


CONTENTS, 

SERMON       I. 
On  the  Being  and  PerfeQions  of  God. 

HCBR-EWS   III.  4. 

Jfor  every   kottfe  is  huild^d  hy  fome  man  ;    hut  he 
that  built  all  things  is  God.  P^S'^  9 

SERMON       II. 

The  plenary  Infpiration  of  the  Scriptures. 

II  Pfcr£R  I.  2t. 
For  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  ivill  of 
man  :  hut  holy  men  of  God /pake  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghojl.  33 

S     E     R     M     O     N       III. 

The  effenlial  and  immutable  difference  be- 
tween Right  and  Wrong. 

Isaiah  v.  20. 

Wo  unto  them  that  call  evil  good,  md  good  evil ; 
that  put  darknefsfor  light,  and  light  for  dark- 
nefs ;  that  put  bitter  for  fvaat^  and  fweU  for 
bitter  f  61 


iy  CONTENTS. 

SERMON       IV. 
On  the  Do6lrine  of  the  Trinity. 

I  John   v.  7. 

for  then  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the 
Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghojl :  and 
ihefe  three  are  one,  8^ 

SERMON      V. 

AfFe6lions  cfTential  to  the  moral  Perfe£l|on  of 
the  Deity. 


109 


I  John  iv.  8. 

For  God  is  love, 

SERMON       VI. 

The  Glory  of  God  illuftrated. 

Exodus  xxxiii.   18,   19. 

And  he  /aid,  I  befeech  thee,  Jliew  7ne  thy  glory. 
And  he  Jaid,  I  will  make  all  my  goodnefs  fafs 
before  thee.  123 

SERMON       VII. 

The  Teftimony  of  Chrift  to  his  own  Divinity. 

John   x.  33. 

Becaufe  that  thou^  being  a  man^  makejl  thyfelJGod,    154 


CONTENTS.  v 

SERMON      VIII. 
On  Confcience. 

.     Acts  xxiv.   i6. 

jind  herein  do  I  exercife  myfelf  to  have  always  a 
confcience  void  of  offence  toward  God  and  to- 
wardmen,  175 

-ii^S     E     R     M     O     N       IX. 

V 

Man's  A6livity  and  Dependence  illuflratcd 
and  reconciled. 

Philippians  II.    12,  13. 

Work  ont  your  ownfahation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling. For  it  is  God  which  worketh  inyou^  both 
tQ  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafure,  201 

SERMON       X. 

The   fame  Subjed  continued. 

Philippians  ii.   12,   13. 

Work  out  yoicr  ownfahation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling. For  it  is  God  which  worketh  inyoit)  both 
to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafire.  223 


Vi  C    O    N    T    E    N    T    9. 

SERMON       XI. 

Love  the  Eflence  of  Obedience. 

Romans  xiii.  10. 
Therefore  love  is  the  Julfilling  of  the  law,  549 

SERMON       XII. 
The  primitive  Re6iitude  of  Adam. 

ECCLESIASTES    VII.    29. 

Lo,  this  only  have  I  founds  that  God  hath  made  mm 
upright.  875 

SERMON       XIII. 

On  Original  Sin. 

Romans  v.  19. 
By  one  maris  difohedience  many  were  madejinners.    2  97 

SERMON       XIV. 

The  Nature,  Extent,  and  Influence  of  the  mor- 
al Depravity  of  Sinners. 

Romans  viii.  7,  8. 

tecaufe  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  againjl  God :  /or 
it  is  notfuhjeB  to  the  law  0/  God,  neither  indeed 

vcan  he.  So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flejh  can- 
not pkafe  God.  325 


fc    5    N    T    E    N    T    S.  .vii 

SERMON      XV. 

bn  the  fpecial  and  irrefiftible  Grace  of  God 
ill  the  Converfion  of  Sinners. 

iPsALM  ex.  3. 

Thy  people  Jliail  he  willing  in  the  da^  of  thy  power.  35  i 

SERMON       XVI. 

The  divine  ConduQ,  in  the  Reprobation  of 
incorrigible  Sinners,  both  illuftrated  and 
juftifiedi 

Exodus  ix.   16. 

in  very  deed  for  this  caufe  have  Iraifed  thee  up.     379 

SERMON       XVII. 

On  the  Unpardonable  Sin. 

I  John  v.  16. 
There  is  a  Jin  unto  death,  407 

S     I:     R     M     O     N       XVIII. 

The  true  Charafter  of  good  Men  delineated. 

Romans  vu.   18. 

For  to  will  isprefent  with  me  ;  but  how  to  perform 
that  which  is  good^  I  find  not,  431 


via  C     6     N    T     E     N     t    1 

f 

SERMON       XIX. 
The  fame  Subje6l  continued. 

.    Romans    vii.   i8. 

For  k)  will  is  prefeiit  with  me ;  hut  how  to  per- 
form  that  which  is  goad,  I  Jind  not.  457 

SERMON       XX. 
The  proper  Defigri  and  Energy  of  Prayer. 

Genesis   xxxii.   28. 

For  as  a  prince  hajl  thou  pozver  with  God  and 
with  men,  and  haft  prevailed.  485 


ERRATA. 

Page  lo.  line  13.  after  the  word  itnproi>emcnt  infcrt  the  ■wotAs  by  mert 
chance.  P.  46.  1.  8.  for  authorative  read  authoratati-ve.  P.  129.  1.  6.  ht  lays 
r.  Liy.  On  fame  p.  1.  13.  from  the  bottom,  for  ivlin  r.  -where.  P.  158.  1.  a. 
fcom  the  bottom,  for  appeared  r.  appro-ved.  P.  171.  I.  lO.  for  adopted  r.  adap- 
ted. P.  194.  1.  a.  for  man  r.  men.  P.  376.  1.  lo.  from  UlS  bottom  for  dajs  n 
dtty.  P.  J02. 1.  5.  from  th«  botteip,  for  at  x.  and. 


SERMON    I. 

On  the  Being  and  Perfections 
of  God. 

Hebrews  hi.  4. 

For  every  hoiife  is  luilded  ly  Jomt  man  ;  hut  he  that  built 
all  things  is  God» 

XT  is  not  the  intention  of  the  Apoftle,  in 
thefe  words,  to  prove  the  exiftence  of  the  Deity; 
but  only  to  fuggeft  the  moft  eafy  and  proper  way 
o^tttaining  the  certain  knowledge,  of  this  great 
and  fundamental  truth.  And  taking  his  words  ii> 
this  view,  they  naturally  introduce  the  objed  of 
the  following  difcourfe,  which  is  to  exhibit  the  evi- 
dence of  the  being  and  pcrfe^lions  of  God.  Agree- 
bly,  therefore,  to  the  fpirit  of  the  text,  and  the  de- 
fign  propofed,  it  may  be  proper  to  proceed  gradu- 
ally, and  obferve, 

B  I.  This 


10 '  S    E    R    M    O    N      I. 

I.  This  world  7night  have  had  a  beginning.  There 
is  nothing  abfard  in  this  fuppofition.  We  can  ea- 
fily  conceive,  that  there  was  a  time  when  the  heav- 
ens and  earth  did  not  exifl ;  and  of  confequence, 
that  there  was  a  time  when  they  firft  came  into  ex- 
igence. The  fafliion  of  this  world  paffes  away, 
and  mutability  is  ftamped  upon  every  ©bjeft  with 
which  we  are  acquainted.  The  winds,  and  clouds, 
and  feas,  and  the  whole  material  fyftem,  are  in  con- 
tinual motion.  The  varying  feafons  are  conftantly 
varying  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  giving  new  forms 
and  appearances  to  all  the  objefls  around  us.  One 
generation  of  mankind  follows  another;  and  whilft 
one  is  coming  on,  another  is  going  off  the  ftage  of 
life.  The  numerous  fpecies  of  animals  come  and 
go,  in  a  manner  equally  regular  and  rapid.  The- 
fruits  of  the  earih  fpontaneoufly  and  fucceffively 
fpring  up,  come  to  maturity,  flourifii,  fade,  and 
die.  Such  are  the  continual  changes  and  revolu- 
tions, which  are  brought  about  by  the  laws  of  na- 
ture. And  befides  thefe,  there  are  many  others, 
which  arife  from  human  power  and  art.  We  wmi 
by  experience,  that  we  have  a  transforming  influ- 
ence over  all  material  objeBs,  and  are  able  to 
change  their  modes  and  forms,  at  our  pleafure.  We 
can  turn  not  only  forelts  into  fields  j  but  mountains 
into  plains.  We  can  give  form  and  figure,  and 
polifh,  not  only  to  wood,  and  ftone,  and  filver,  and 
gold;  but  even  to  pearls  and  diamonds.  No  ma- 
terial objefthas  ever  been  found,  but  what  could" 

be 


SERMON      I.  11 

be  formed  and  fafhioned,  by  human  power  and  fldll. 
Now,  if  the  world  exifted  of  necejfity^  it  would  be 
abfolutely  immutable  or  incapable  of  change.  Nei- 
ther the  laws  of  nature,  nor  the  powers  of  man, 
could  make  the  lead  impreflion  upon  it,  nor  pro- 
duce the  leaft  motion  or  variation  in  it.  Whatever 
necelTarily  exifts,  mud  necefl'arily  exift  the  fame. 
For  that  neceflity,  which  is  the  ground  of  its  exiji- 
ence,  muft  be  equally  and  perpetually  the  ground  of 
all  its  modes  and  forms  of  exiftence.  Since  the 
world,  therefore,  does  not  neceffarily  exift  in  any 
certain  mode  or  form,  it  might  not  have  exifted  iiv 
any  mode  or  form  ivhatevcr.  And  if  it  might  not 
have  exifted  at  all ;  then  we  can  eafily  conceivej 
that  it  might  have  had  a  beginning  of  exiftence,  in 
fome  diftant  period  of  pa§  duration. 

II.  If  this  world  might  have  begun  to  exift,  then  it 
mght  have  had  a  caufe  of  its  exiftence.  Upon  this 
principle,  the  Apoftle  fuppofes,  that  "  every  houfe 
is  builded  by  fome  man,"  or  owes  its  exiftence  to 
fome  caufe.  And  this  mode  of  reafoning  from  the 
£j&ci  to  the  cazcfe,  is  perfe6tly  agreeable  to  common 
flwfe.  As  foon  as  children  begin  to  reafon,  they 
fpontaneoufly  reafon  from  the  effeB:  to  the  caufe; 
or  from  a  thing's  beginning  to  exift  to  the  caufe  of 
its  exifting.  When  they  fee  any  thing  move  ;  they 
imagine  there  is  fome  caufe  of  its  moving.  When 
they  fee  any  thing  in  motion  ftop ;  they  conclude 
there  js  fome  caufe  of  its  ftopping.  When  they 
fee  any  thing  broken ;  they  naturally  inquire,  who 

broke 


12 


SERMON       I. 


broke  it  ?  When  they  find  any  thing  out  of  its  ufual 
or  proper  place  ;  they  are  prone  to  afk.  Who  put  it 
there  ?  Indeed,  whenever  they  obferve  any  thing 
new  or  uncommon,  they  never  fail  to  afcribe  fuch  a 
vifible  effoft  to  Ibme  vifible  or  invifible  caufe.  Nor 
is  this  mode  of  reafoning  peculiar  to  children;  for 
all  perfons,  of  every  age  and  capacity,  always  reafon 
in  the  fame  manner,  unlefs  their  minds  have  been 
previoufly  perverted,  by  long  and  habitual  fophif- 
try.  Every  man  afcribes  the  motion  of  the  winds, 
the  flying  of  the  clouds,  the  falling  of  rain,  and  the 
growing  of  grafs,  to  fome  known  or  unknown  caufe. 
Though  men  in  the  bufy  fcenes  of  life,  fpend  very 
little  time  or  thought  in  tracing  particular  effe6ls 
to  particular  caufes;  yet  they  as  clearly  perceive, 
that  every  particular  efFc6t  may  have  a  particular 
caufe,  as  the  moft  learned  an^i  deep-thinking  phi- 
lofopher.  It  is  extremely  difficult  for  any  man  to 
help  reafoning  from  the  eifefct  to  the  caufe.  Should 
the  greateft  fceptic  travel  two  or  three  hundred 
miles  into  a  wild  wildernefs,  and.  there  difcover  a 
VQ.xy  ancient  ?iw^  degant  houfe  ;  he  would  inftaya- 
taneoufly  draw  the  conclufion,  in  his  own  mind,  thiit 
that  houfe  was  built  by  fome  man.  In  fhort,  we 
intuitively  perceive,  that  whatever  begins  to  exift, 
may  have  a  caufe  of  its  exiftence.  If  the  world,  there- 
fore, might  have  had  a  beginning,  it  is  eafy  and  nat- 
ural to  conceive,  that  it  might  have  had  a  caufe 

III.   If  the  world  might  have  had  a  caiife,  then  it 
Kihjl  have  had  a  caufe.    Some  feem  to  fcruple,  wheth- 
er 


S   E   R   M   O    N       I.  13 

er  this  can  be  fairly  made  out,  by  ftri6l  and  proper 
reafoning.  Lord  Kaimes  and  Mr.  Hume  deny,  that 
it  implies  any  abfurdity  to  fuppofe,  that  a  thing 
may  begin  to  exift  without  a  caufe.  And  hence  they 
conclude  it  is  impoflible  to  prove,  that  every  thing, 
which  begins  to  exift,  miift  have  a  caiifc.  Mr,  Hume 
fays,  a  caufe  is  nothing  more  than  an  antecedent  to 
a  confequent;  and  an  effe6l  is  nothing  more  than  a 
confeqicent  of  an  antecedent.  But  this  reprefentation 
of  caufe  and  efFe6l  is  contrary  to  common  fenfe. 
When  a  number  of  men  walk  in  proceffion,  they 
bear  the  relation  of  antecedent  and  confequentto 
each  other,  but  not  the  relation  of  caufe  and  ef- 
fe6l.  The  motion  of  thofe  who  walk  before,  is  no 
caufe  of  the  motion  of  thofe  who  walk  behiid ;  or 
in  other  words,  the  antecedents  do  not  bear  ibe  re- 
lation of  cai'fe  to  the  confequents  ;  nor  the  confe- 
quents  bear  the  relation  of  effeti  to  the  antecedents. 
The  idea  of  caule  and  efFe61:  always  carries  fome- 
thing  more  in  it,  than  the  bare  perception  of  ante- 
cedent and  conjfqiient.  .  This  we  know  from  out  own 
experience.  The  operation  of  our  own  m.ii  ds  gives 
us  a  clear  and  diftinft  perception  of  caufe  and  ef- 
fe6t.  When  we  walk,  we  are  confcious  of  a  pow- 
er to  produce  motion.  The  exercife  of  this  power 
gives  us  the  perception  of  saitfe^  and  the  motion, 
whicli  flows  from  it,  gives  us  the  perception  not 
only  of  a  confquenf,  but  of  an  eJfeH.  Our  idea  of 
caufe  and  efFeft  is  as  clear  and  diflinS,  as  our  idea 

of 


14  S   E   R    M    O    N      I. 

of  heat  and  cold  ;  and  is  as  truly  corrcfpondent  to 
an  original  imprefifion.  This  being  eftablilhed,  the 
way  is  prepared  to  fliow,  that  if  the  world  7mghi 
have  had  a  caufe,  it  muji  have  had  a  caufe. 

Whatever  we  can  conceive  to  be  capable  of  ex- 
ifting,^^  a  caufe,  we  can  as  clearly  conceive  to  be 
incapable  of  exifting,  without  a  caufe.  For,  that  which 
renders  any  thing  capable  of  exifting,  by  a  caufe^  ren- 
ders it  equally  incapable  of  exifting,  without  a  caufe* 
Thus,  if  the  nature  of  a  certain  whe^l  render  it  ca- 
pable of  being  moved,  by  a  caufe  ;  then  that  fame  na- 
ture renders  it  incapable  of  moving,  without  a  caufe. 
Or,  if  the  nature  of  a  certain  wheel  render  it  capable 
of  moving,  without  a  caife;  then  that  fame  nature  ren- 
ders it  incapable  of  being  moved,  by  a  caufe.  Suppofc 
tliere  are  two  wheels,  the  one  large  and  the  other 
fmall.  Suppofe  it  is  the  nature  of  the  large  wheel  to 
fland  ftill  of  itfelf ;  bat  the  nature  of  the  fmall  wheel 
to  move  of  itfelf.  Here  it  is  eafy  to  fee,  that  mo- 
tion in  one  of  thefe  wheels  may  be  owing  to  a  caufe^ 
but  not  in  the  other.  The  large  wheel,  whofe  na- 
ture it  is  to  ftand  ft:ill  of  itfelf,  may  be  moved  by  a 
caife.  For,  if  a  proper  power  be  applied  to  it,  mo- 
tion will  inftantly  follow;  and  if  that  power  be 
withdrawn,  motion  will  inftantly  ccafe.  But  the  ' 
linall  wheel,  whofe  nature  it  is  to  move  of  itfelf, 
cannot  be  moved  by  a  caufe.  For  if  any  power  what- 
ever be  appHed  to  it,  the  motion  will  be  the  fame;* 

and 

*  That  isj  if  it  moves  as  full  as  pofiible,  -which  is  fuppofed. 


S   £   R   M   O    N      L  15 

and  of  confequence,  the  power  applied  will  pro- 
duce no  effeU,  and  be  no  cmtfe.  If  this  reafoning  be 
juft,  then  whatever  we  can  conceive  to  be  capable  of 
being  an  effc^li  mvfi  have  been  an  effcEl  ;  or  what- 
ever we  can  conceive  to  be  capable  of  having  2^cmifo 
of  its  exiftence,  mvji  have  had  a  caufe  of  its  exift- 
ence.  If  we  can  only  conceive,  therefore,  that  the 
world  in  which  we  live,  and  the  objefts  with  which 
we  are  furrounded,  are  capable  of  having  had  a  caufi 
of  their  exiftence  ;  then  we  can  as  clearly  conceive^ 
that  it  was  abfolutely  impoflible  for  them  to  have 
come  into  exiftence,  without  a  caufe. 

But  Mr.  Hume  does  not  pretend  to  deny,  that 
the  world  is  capable  of  having  had  a  caufe.  And  if 
this  be  true,  then  it  is  certain  to  a  demonjlration,  that 
there  was  feme  caife  which  aftuaily  produced  it. 
That  is  demonftrably  falfe,  which  cannot  be  conceived 
to  be  true  ;  and  that  is  demonftrably  true,  which 
cannot  he  conceived  to  be  falfe.  It  is  demonftrably 
falfe,  that  a  body  can  move  north  and  fouth  at  the 
fame  time ;  for  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  mind  to 
conceive^  that  a  body  is  moving  north,  while  it  is 
moving  fouth.  It  is  demonftrably  true,  that  two 
and  two  are  equal  to  four;  for  it  is  not  in  the  pow- 
er of  the  mind  to  conceive,  that  two  and  two  (hould 
be  more,  or  lefs  than  four.  It  is  demonftrably 
true,  that  all  the  parts  are  equal  to  the  whole;  for 
it  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  mind  to  conceive^  that 
all  the  parts  fliould  be  more,  or  X^h  than  the  whole. 

And 


iS  SERMON!. 

And  in  the  fame  manner  it  is  demonftrably  true, 
that  the  world  mujl  have  had  a  caufe  of  its  exiftence. 
We  can  clearly  conceive,  that  the  world  is  capable  of 
having  had  a  caufe  of  its  exiftence  ;  and  therefore 
we  cannot  conceive,  that  it  was  capable  of  coming  in- 
to exiftence,  without  a  caufe.     The  pojfihility  of  its 
having  had  diCaufe,  dchroys  the pnjfibility  of  its  hav- 
ing come  into  exiftence,  without  acantfe;  juftas  the 
pojjibility  of  a  body's  moving  one  way  at  once,  de- 
ftroys  the  poffibility  of  its  moving  two  ways  at  once. 
Had  Hume  and  Kaimes  properly  confultedthe  op- 
eration of  their  own  minds  upon  this  fubjeft,  we 
prefume  they  never  would  have  granted,  that  it  was 
pffjihk  for  the  world  to  have  come  into  exiftenccj 
by  a  caufe;  and  yet  afferted,  that  it  was  pojfibk  it  might 
have  come  into  exiitence,  without  a  caufe.    By  grant- 
ing i\\Q-  pnjfibility  of  the  world's  coming  into  exift- 
ence, by  a  caufe,  they  have  virtually  granted,  that  it 
was  abfolutcly  impojfible  it  fhould  have  come  into 
exiftence,  without  a  caufe.     The  bare  poffibility  of 
the  world's  beginning  to  exift,  amounts  to  a  demon- 
stration, that  it  did  begin  to  exift.      And  the  bare 
poflTibility  of  its  beginning  to  exift,  by  a  caufe,  amounts 
to  a  demon  ft  ration,  that  there  was  fome  caife  of  its 
beginning  to  exift. 

IV.  The  Caufe  which  produced  this  world,  muft 
be  equal  to  the  effeft  produced.  No  caufe  can  pro- 
duce an  efFed  fuperior  to  itfelf.  This  is  no  lefs 
impoflible,  than  that  an  effeftlhould  exift,  without  a 

caufe. 


S   E   R    M   O    N      I.  17 

caufe.  For  juft  fo  far  as  an  efFe6l  furpafles  the 
caufe,  it  ceafes  to  be  an  effe6t,  and  exifts  of  itfelf. 
To  fuppofe,  therefore,  that  the  world  owes  its  ex- 
iftence  to  any  caufe  inferior  to  itfelf,  involves  the 
fame  abfurdity  as  to  fuppofe,  that  it  began  to  exift, 
without  a  caufe.  It  requires  a  greater  caufe  to  pro- 
duce a  great,  than  a  fmall  efFe6l.  This  we  know  by 
our  own  experience.  We  can  produce  fmall  efFe6ls. 
We  are  able  to  move  or  new-modify  fome  thing* 
around  us  ;  but  we  cannot  give  exiftence  to  the 
fmalleft  atom.  To  produce  fomething  out  of  noth- 
ing requires  a  far  greater  caufe,  than  it  does  merely 
to  move,  or  new-modify  things  which  already  exift. 
Hence  the  chara6ler  and  perfedions  of  the  firft 
and  fupreme  Caufe,  may  be  fairly  argued  from  the 
things  which  he  hath  made. 

Here,  then,  I  would  obferve, 

1.  The  Creator  of  all  things  muft  be  poffefled 
of  almighty  power.  This  is  the  firft  attribute  of  the 
firft  Caufe,  which  his  great  and  marvellous  works 
imprefs  upon  the  mind.  In  furveying  the  works 
of  creation,  their  greatnefs  conftrains  us  to  con- 
clude, that  no  lefs  than  Almighty  power  could  bring 
them  out  of  nothing  into  being.  It  is  true,  our  m« 
agination  is  here  apt  to  get  the  ftart  of  our  reafon^ 
and  we  are  ready  to  apprehend,  that  the  power  of 
preferving^  is  greater  than  the  power  of  creating  the 
world.  Prefervivg  power  feems  to  admit  of  differ- 
ent degrees  of  effort,  in  proportion  to  the  different 
^  degree^ 


18  SERMON      I. 

degrees  of  mognihde  in  the  objefts  preferred.  It  feems 
to  require  ^.  greater  effort  in  the  Supreme  Being  to 
fiipport  a  mountain,  than  a  mole-hill  j  or  to  fupport 
the  ponderous  earth,  than  the  light  and  flying  clouds. 
But  this'is  altogether  owing  to  a  delufive  imagina- 
tion. In  the  eye  of  reafon,  whatever  the  Supreme 
Power  can  do,  he  can  do  with  equal  eafe.  It  re- 
quires no  more  effort  in  the  great  firft  Caufe,  to  fup- 
port and  preferve  the  world,  than  k  did  to  call  it 
into  exiftence  at  firfl:.  He /pake,  and  it  uas  dene  :  he 
commanded,  and  it  Jloadfajl.  This  facility  of  his  op- 
eration difplays  the  greatnefs  of  his  power,  in  the, 
produQion  of  the  world.  He,  who  produced  an 
Angel  as  eafily  as  a  man ;  a  Man  as  eafily  as  a  worm; 
and  a  World  as  eafily  as  an  atom,  muft  be  a  Being  of 
unbounded  power.  His  power  of  creating  fur- 
pafTes  the  powers  of  all  dependent  beings.  For, 
were  all  their  powers  united,  they  could  not  create 
a  fly,  nor  a  worm,  nor  produce  the  leaft  particle  of 
matter.  We  cannot  conceive  of  any  power  great- 
er, than  that  which  can  give  exiftence,  or  produce 
fomething  out  of  nothing.  The  Being,  therefore, 
who  created  this  world,  muft  be  able  to  do  every 
thing,  which  lies  within  the  limits  of  poffibility.  By 
creating  one  world,  he;  has  difplayed  a  power  fuffi- 
cient  to  create  as  many  worlds,  as  fpace  itfelf  can 
contain.  And,  therefore,  if  we  may  judge  of  the 
Caufe  by  the  efFe6>,  we  may  fafely  conclude,  that 
the  firft  and  fupreme  Caufe  of  all  things  is  necefta- 
rily  Omnipotent.  2.  The 


S    E   R    M    O    N       I.  19 

2.   The  Author  and  Fraraer  of  the  world  muft  be 
fupremely  wife  and  intelligent.     Mankind  have  al- 
ways admired  the  beauty  of  the  world.  The  Greeks, 
that  learned  and  refined  nation,  called  it  beauty  in 
the  abilraQ;.      Uniformity  amidft  variety  appears 
through  every  part  of  creation.     The  motions  and 
revolutions  of  the  heavenly  bodies  are  uniform, 
though  extremely  various.     There  is  uniformity 
amidft  variety  in  every  fpecies  of  grain,  of  grafs, 
of  flowers,  of  trees  and  of  animals.     There  is  a 
great  uniformity  among  the  niany  millions  of  man- 
kind, yet  an  almofl  infinite  variety.     The  human 
body  is  a  raoft  curious  piece  of  machinery.    Its  va,- 
rioijs  pairtsare  not  only  well  proportioned,  but  nice- 
ly conftru6led  and  fituated,  to  anfwer  their  varioua 
purpofes.     The  feet  are  admirably  fitted  for  walk-, 
ing,  the  hands  for  laboring,  the  eyes  for  feeing,  the 
ears  for  hearing,  and  the  mouth  for  both  feeding 
and  fpeaking.     Indeed,  not  only  the  hunian  frame, 
but  the  whols  creation,  appears  to  be  made  for  ufe. 
All  the  luminaries  of  heaven  ferve  many  and  im- 
portant purpofes.     They  not  only  afford  light  to 
the  earth,  but  divide  time  into  days,  months,  and 
years,  and  a  happy  variety  of  feafons.      Air  and 
earth,  fire  and  water,  are  all  neceffary  to  fupport 
and  preferve  the  lives  of  men,  of  animals,  and  ve- 
getables.   The  feas  which  divide,  at  the  fame  time, 
unite  the  numerous  nations  of  the  earth.    The  low- 
er fpecies   of  animals  appear  to  be  made  for  the 

fervice 


so 


SERMON       L 


fervice  of  the  higher ;  the  higher  and  lower  fpe- 
eies  appear  to  be  made  for  the  fervice  of  man ; 
and  man,  a  rational  and  noble  creature,  appears 
to  be  made  for  the  fervice  of  his  Maker.  Such 
variety,  uniformity,  regularity,  and  intelligence  in 
the  effe£l,  clearly  demonftrate  intelligence  and  wif- 
dom  in  the  Caufe.  The  world  bears  ftronger  marks 
of  the  defign  of  the  Creator,  than  a  clock,  or  watch, 
or  any  other  curious  machine,  bears  of  the  ingenuity 
of  the  artificer.  Indeed,  it  is  eafier  to  conceive,  that 
houfes  (hould  be  framed ;  that  cities  fhould  be 
built;  and  all  the  arts  and  fciences  carried  to  the 
higheft  pitch  of  improvement ;  than  that  this  beau, 
tiful,  regular,  and  ufeful  world  fhould  have  been 
framed  by  any  other  caufe,  than  a  wife  and  intel- 
ligent Being,  who  revolved  and  adjufted,  in  his  own 
mind,  every  part  of  it,  before  he  called  it  into  ex- 
iftence.  When  we  furvey  the  order,  ufefulnefs, 
and  intelligence  of  the  things  that  are  made,  we  as 
clearly  fee  and  underftand  the  manifold  zuifdom,  as 
the  eternal  power  of  the  Godhead. 

3.  The  Builder  and  Upholder  of  the  world  muft 
be  every  where  prefent. 

It  Is  the  nature  of  all  created  beings  and  obje6ls, 
to  be  conftantly  and  abfolutely  dependent  upon 
their  Creator.  But  if  he  conftantly  upholds  all  his 
creatures  and  all  his  works,  then  he  muft  be  con- 
ftantly prefent  in  every  part  of  his  wide  creation. 
We  cannot  conceive,  that  any  caufe  can  operate 

where 


SERMON     I. 


21 


where  it  does  not  exift;  and  of  courfe,  we  cannot 
conceive,  that  the  Creator  and  Preferver  of  the 
world  fhould  exert  his  power  beyond  the  limits  of 
his  prefence.  But  it  is  certain,  that  his  preferving 
and  governing  power  extends  to  every  creature  and 
every  objeft,  whether  great  or  fmall,  through  eve* 
ry  part  of  the  created  univerfe ;  and  therefore  it 
is  equally  certain,  that  his  prefence  conftantly  fills 
and  furrounds  the  whole  creation.  And  this  gives 
us  the  higheft  poffible  idea  of  the  immenfuy  of  the 
divine  prefence. 

4.  The  Maker  and  Governor  of  the  world  muft 
be  a  Being  of  boundlefs  knowledge. 

He  muft  neceffarily  know  himfelf,  and  be  intu- 
itively acquainted  with  all  his  natural  and  moral 
perfeftions.  And  by  knowing  thefe,  he  muft  ne- 
ceffarily know  all  pojfibks ;  that  is,  all  things  which 
lie  within  the  limits  of  omnipotence  to  produce. 
This  is  that  knowledge,  which  conftitutes  one  of 
the  effential  attributes  of  the  great  firft  Caufe.  And 
befides  this,  he  muft  neceffarily  have  the  knowl- 
«dge  of  his  own  purpofes  and  defigns,  which  is  pro- 
perly termed  fore-knowledge.  For,  by  knowing  his 
own  decrees,  he  neceffarily  knows  all  aUuals ;  that  is, 
all  things  that  ever  will  exift.  Hence  it  appears,  that 
his  underftanding  is  infinite,  and  his  knowledge 
boundlefs.  His  great  and  capacious  mind  compre- 
hends, at  one  view,  all  things  paft,  prefent,  and  to 
come.     And  more  than  this,  cannot  be  known. 

5.  The 


22  S  E   R    M    O    N      I. 

5.  The  firft,  fupreme,  and  intelligent  Caufe  of  all 
things  mall  be  Eternal.  To  fuppofe  the  firfl  Caufc 
had  a  caufe  oF  his  exifteace,  is  to  fuppofe  there  was 
a  caufe  before  the  firfl  Caufe.  Or  to  fuppofe  he 
was  the  caufe  of  his  own  exiflence,  is  to  fuppofe 
that  he  exifted  and  operated,  before  he  did  exift. 
Or  to  fuppofe  that  he  came  into  exiftence  without 
any  caufe,  is  to  fuppofe  what  has  been  proved  to 
be  impoffible.  Hence  we  are  conftrained  to  fup- 
pofe, that  there  is  fomething  in  his  nature,  which 
renders  his  exiftence  abfolutely  neceffary  and 
eternal.  And  though  we  cannot  explain  the  ne- 
ceflity  and  eternity  of  the  divine  exiftence  ;  yet 
this  is  no  real  objedion  againft  it,  becaufe  it  is  rea- 
fonable  to  fuppofe,  the  great  Creator  fliould  ex- 
ift in  a  manner,  which  furpaffes  the  comprehen- 
fion  of  all  his  creatures. 

6.  The  Framer  of  our  bodies  and  the  Father  of 
our  fpirits  muft  be  a  Being  of  moral  reO-itude. 

He  hath  engraven  the  evidence  of  this  upon  the 
minds  of  all  intelligent  creatures.  For,  when  he 
made  them,  "  he  bent  them  to  the  right ;"  or  gave 
them  a  capacity  of  difcerning  the  moral  beauty  or 
deformity  of  every  moral  agent.  But  can  we  fuppofe, 
the  Creator  would  furnifli  his  creatures  with  a  fac- 
ulty, by  which  they  could  difcover  his  own  moral 
eharaCler,  unlefs  he  knew  himfelf  to  be  poffefTed 
of  perfe6l  reclitude  and  fpotlefs  purity  ?  For,  if 
be  were  not  of  fuch  a  chara6ler,  his  creatures  whom 

he 


SERMON      I. 


23 


he  endued  with  moral  powers  would  be  capable  of 
difcovering  it;  and  whenever  they  fhould  difcover 
it,  they  would  be  under  moral  obligation  to  hate 
and  deleft  the  Author  of  their  exiftence.  Hence 
the  moral  facuhy  in  man  carries  in  it  a  clear  dem- 
onftration  of  the  moral  re6litude  of  his  Maker. 
Befides,  the  whole  world  bears  innumerable  marks 
of  the  divine  goodnefs.  It  is  every  way  adapted 
to  fatisfy  the  reafonable  defires  of  all  reafonable 
creatures.  And  the  more  the  works  of  God  have 
been  explored,  by  the  moft  inquifitive  and  difccrn- 
ing  minds,  the  more  of  his  goodnefs,  as  well  as  of 
his  wifdom,  has  been  difcovered.  All  the  works  of 
creation  and  providence  have  fuch  a  natural  and  di- 
reft  tendency  to  promote  the  holinefs  and  happi- 
nefs  of  mankind,  that,  notwithftanding  the  preva- 
lence of  natural  and  moral  evil,  there  is  abundant 
reafon  to  conclude  that  he,  who  built  all  things,  is 
Good.  And  it  is  well  known,  that  goodnefs  is  the 
fum  and  comprehenfion  of  all  moral  excellence. 
Thus  it  appears,  by  the  moft  natural  and  conclufive 
mode  of  reafoning,  that  there  muft  be  a  firft  and  fu- 
preme  Caufe  of  all  things,  who  is  pofTefted  of  every 
natural  and  moral  perfcftion.  It  now  remains  to 
make  a  few  dedu6lions  from  the  fubjeft. 

1.  If  it  be  true,  that  the  vifible  world  difplays 
the  being  and  perfeflions  of  the  Deity;  then  all, 
who  reafon  themfelves  into  atheifm,  are  guilty  of 
extreme  folly.     Thofe,  vho  affume  the  name  of  A- 

theifts, 


»^  S   E   R   M   O  N       L 

theifts,  generally  profefs  to  be  mafters  of  fuperior 
knowledge  and  penetration,  and  affe6l  to  defpife 
the  reft  of  mankind,  as  weak,  ignorant,  fuperfti- 
tious  creatures.  But  if  the  world  in  which  we  livej 
^nd  all  the  objefts  which  come  to  our  view,  bear 
clear  and  obvious  marks  of  the  fuprerae  power, 
wifdom,  and  goodnefs  of  their  Author;  then  the 
imputation  of  folly  and  weaknefs  muft  rebound  up- 
on thofe,  who,  in  defiance  of  reafon  and  common 
lenfe,  deny  the  being  and  perfeftions  of  the  firft 
and  fupreme  Caufe,  who  hath  imprefled  his  own 
great  and  amiable  chara6ler  upon  all  his  works. 
Profeffingthemfelves  to  be  wife,  they  become  fools, 
and  expofe  their  folly  to  all  men,  who  make  a  prop- 
er ufe  of  their  rational  powers.  It  requires  much 
learned  labor  in  any  of  mankind,  to  become  Athe- 
ifts  in  rpeculation.  They  muft  ftifle  the  plain  die- 
tates  of  reafon  and  the  common  feelings  of  human- 
ity, by  deep  and  fubtil  fophiftry,  before  they  can 
renounce  the  idea  of  the  neceffary  connexion  be- 
tween caufe  and  effe6l,  which  is  the  laft  ftep  in  the 
road  to  Atheifm.  But  when  they  have  taken  this 
ftep,  they  have  leaped  over  all  the  principles  of  fair 
reafoning,  and  put  it  out  of  their  own  power  to  prove 
the  exiftence  of  any  other  intelligent  being,  befide 
themfelves.  For,  if  it  be  once  allowed,  that  any 
thing  can  begin  to  exift,  and  confequently  continue 
to  exift,  without  a  caufe ;  then  the  a£lions  of  men  are 
no  evidence  of  their  intellcHiial  powers.     And  the 

Atheift, 


S    E   R    M    O    N      I.  25 

Atheift,  who  makes  this  conceffion,  has  no  princi- 
ple left,  upon  which  he  can  juftly    conclude,   that 
there  is  any  being  in  the  univerfe,  except  himfelf, 
who   poffcfles   the  leaft  degree  of  perception  or 
intelligence.     He,  therefore,  who  fays  and  believes 
that  there  is  no  God  ;  muft,  in  order  to  be  confif- 
tent,  fay  and  believe,  that  there  are  no  men.     But 
is  it  not  extreme  folly  in  any  man  to  fay   and  be- 
lieve, that  all  mankind  are  fools,  but  himfelf?  Such 
fliame  muft  be  the  promotion  of  learned  and  volun- 
tary fools.     It  behoves  thofe,  therefore,  who  are 
leaning  towards  Atheifm,   and  laboring  to  reafon 
themfelves  into  the  difbelief  and  denial  of  the  De- 
ity, to  turn  from  their  dangerous  folly,  and  employ 
their  noble  powers  to  the  better  purpofe  of  purfuing 
the  chief  end  of  man,  which  is  to  glorify  God,  and 
enjoy  him  for  ever. 

2.  If  there  be  a  being  of  fupreme  power  and  in- 
telligence, who  is  the  Creator  and  Proprietor  of  the 
world;  then  there  is  great  reafon  to  think,  that  he 
will  difpofe  of  all  things  to  his  own  glory.  The 
fame  motive,  which  led  him  to  create,  will  necefla- 
rily  lead  him  to  govern  all  his  creatures  and  all 
their  aftions.  His  own  glory  muft  have  been  his 
higheft  motive  in  creating  the  world,  and  therefore 
muft  be  his  fupreme  end  in  governing  every  crea- 
ture, and  direfting  every  event.  When  a  man  has 
built  a  neat  and  convenient  hbufe,  we  naturally 
cxpea,  that  he  will  convert  it  to  his  own  ufe,  or  dif- 
D  ,  pofc 


26  S  E   R    M    ONI. 

pofe  of  it  according  to  his  own  pleafure.  So  we 
may  reafonably  expeB,  that  He,  who  built  all 
things,  will  dirpofe  of  all  things  after  the  counfel 
of  his  own  will.  If  there  be  a  God,  we  may  rely 
upon  it,  that  he  will  difpofe  of  us  and  of  all  our  in- 
terefts,  for  time  and  eternity,  to  his  own  glory. 

3,  If  there  be  a  Being,  who  hath  made  us,  and  who 
will  abfolutely  difpofe  of  us;  then  it  is  very  defir- 
able  to  receive  a  Revelation  of  his  will.     We  are 
very  deeply  interefted  in  the  purpofes  of  his  pleaf- 
ure concerning  us,  and  therefore  have  great  reafon 
to  defire  the  knowledge  of  our  prefent  duty,  and  of 
our  future  and  final  deftination.     If  we  are  to  pafs 
through  different  dates  of  exiftence,  and  if  one  ftate 
is  to  be  preparatory  to  another ;  then  it  is  very  de- 
firable  to  be  made  acquainted  with  the   various 
Hates  through  which  we  have  to  pafs,  and  the  vari- 
ous preparations  which  are  neceflary  to  fit  us  for  a 
happy  tranfition  from  one  ftate  to  another,  until  we 
reach  the  laft,  in  which  we  are  to  take  up  ourever- 
lafting  refidence.     To  live  in  God's  world,  and  un- 
der his  fupreme  difpofal,  without  any  intimations  of 
his  mind  and  will,  muft  be  ex;;remely  painful  to 
creatures,  who  are  capable  of  looking  forward,  and 
anticipating  their  future  and  final  condition.     This 
has  been  found  to  be  true,  by  the  unhappy  experi- 
ence of  thofe,  who  have  been  deprived  of  the  Ora- 
cles of  God,     Socrates,  one  of  the  wifcfl  and  befl 
of  the  Heathens,  felt  and  lamented  the  want  of  di- 
vine 


SERMON      I. 


27 


vine  Revelation ;  and  at  the  fame  time  exprelTed 
his  hope,  that  the  kind  Parent  of  all  would,  in  fome 
future  period,  indulge  his  reafonable  creatures  with 
fuch  a  defirable  and  important  blefling.     The  bare 
light  of  nature    difcovers  only  the  fupremacy  of 
the  Creator,  and  the  dependence   of    creatures. 
And  this  light  leaves  them  in  the  moft  deplorable 
darknefs.  What  perfon  of  common  prudence,  would 
be  willing  to  launch  into  the  mighty  ocean,  with- 
out   knowing  whither  the  mafter  of  the  fliip  de- 
figned  to  ftear  his  courfe  ?    But  it  would  be  of  far 
lefs  importance    to  the  paffenger  in  the  (hip,  to 
knov/  the  defigns  of  the  mafter ;  than  it  is  to  man- 
kind to   know  the  defigns  of  their  Creator.     For 
the  mafter  of  the  fhip  could  only  tranfport  the  paf- 
fenger to  fome  remote  part  of  this  world,  and  there 
leave  him  for  a  time ;  but  the  great  Creator  can  convey 
his  rational  creatures  to  a  diftant  world,  and  there 
fix  them    for   eternity.     Every  human    creature, 
therefore,  who  feels  the  importance  of  his  own  ex- 
iftence,muftdefire  fome  better  information  concern- 
ing his  future  and  eternal  ftate,  than  he  can  poffi- 
bly  derive  from  the  bare  light  of  nature.     This 
fliows  the  ftupidity  and  abfurdity  of  thofe,  who  de- 
ny the  infpiration  and  authority  of  the  facred  Scrip- 
tures, merely  becaufe  they  cannot  fee  any  need  of 
a  divine  Revelation. 

4.  If  there  be  a  God,  who  is  pofTeffed  of  every 
natural  and  moral  perfection,  then  it  is  fruitlefs  for 

thofa 


28  SERMON       I. 

tliofe,  who  believe  and  acknowledge  his  exiftence, 
to  deny  the  divinity  of  the  Scriptures,  in  order  to 
get  rid  of  their  difagreeable  dodrines.  No  man 
would  wifh  to  difbelieve  and  difcard  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures, if  they  contained  nothing  difagreeable  to  his 
heart.  But  many,  who  read  the  facred  Oracles, 
find  they  contain  very  difagreeable  fentiments, 
•which  they  wifh  to  be  at  liberty  to  reje6l.  And 
they  are  ready  to  imagine,  that  if  they  can  only 
bring  themfelves  to  difbelieve  the  divine  authority 
of  the  fcriptures,  they  fhall  then  be  at  full  liberty  to 
difbelieve  all  the  difagreeable  dodrines,  which 
they  teach  and  inculcate.  But  this  is  a  very  great 
miftake.  For,  if  they  will  only  look  into  the  Book 
of  Nature,  they  will  there  find  many  of  the  fame 
difagreeable  truths,  which  are  written  in  the  Book 
of  revelation.  If  the  creation  of  the  world  be  not 
a  cunningly  devifed  fable,  but  the  produtlion  of  an 
infinitely  powerful,  wife,  and  benevolent  Being  ; 
then  all  who  acknowledge  his  exiftence  and  attri- 
butes, are  ftill  obliged  to  believe  a  number  of  fenti- 
ments, which  are  no  lefs  difagreeable  to  the  corrupt 
heart,  than  any  that  can  be  found  in  the  Scriptures 
of  truth.     In  particular, 

They  are  obliged  to  believe  the  doftrine  of  di- 
vine decrees.  If  the  Author  of  nature  be  a  Be- 
ing of  perfeftwifdom,  he  muft  have  formed  all  his 
purpofes  from  eternity.  He  could  not  have  begun 
to  operate,  in  a  fingle  inftance,  before  he  had  deter- 
mined 


SERMON       I.  29 

tnined  the  nature,  number,  duration,  and  end,  of 
all  his  works.  And  by  determining  all  his  own  con- 
duft,  he  muft  have  neceffarily  determined  the  con- 
du6l  and  charafter,  and  final  ftate  of  alibis  intelli- 
gent and  accountable  creatures.  The  doftrine  of 
decrees,  in  its  largeft  extent,  neceflarily  refults  from 
the  being  and  perfe6lions  of  God.  Hence  all,  who 
acknowledge  themfelves  to  be  the  creatures  of  God, 
are  conftrained  to  believe,  that  he  hath  decreed 
every  thing  refpefting  them,  through  every  period 
of  their  exiftence.     Again, 

If  there  be  a  God,  who  governs  all  things  in  per- 
feft  re6litude ;  then  it  muft  be  the  duty  of  every  in- 
telligent creature,  to  yield  unconditional  fuhmijfwn 
to  his  will.  The  will  of  the  creature  ought  always 
to  bow  to  the  will  of  the  Creator.  Not  one  of  the 
creatures  of  God  has  a  right  to  fay  unto  him.  What 
doeft  thou  ?  Unreferved  fubmiffion  is  a  duty,  which 
grows  out  of  abfolute  dependence.  And  fince  all 
men,  without  exception,  are  entirely  dependent 
upon  God,  they  are  under  indifpenfable  obligation 
to  fubmit  to  him  in  all  things,  without  the  leaft  mur- 
mur or  complaint.  If  we  acknowledge  the  exift- 
ence of  God,  we  muft,  in  order  to  be  confiftent, 
cordially  refign  all  our  interefts,  for  time  and  eter 
nity,  to  his  liipreme  difpofal.      Once  more, 

All,  who  believe  the  exiftence  and  moral  re6i- 
tude  of  the  Deity,  are  obliged  to  believe  the  doc- 
trine of  future  rewards  and  punifhments.     A  Be- 


30  S   E    R   M  O    N      I. 

ing,  who  loves    righteoufnefs  and  hates  iniquity, 
cannot  look  upon  the  condu6l  of  free,  moral  agents, 
with  an  eye  of  indifference.     He   mud  be  either 
pleafed  or  difpleafed  with  all  their  moral  condu6l. 
If  they  aft  agreeably  to  that  moral  faculty,  which 
he  hath  implanted  in  their  breads,  they  will  meet 
with  his  approbation;  but  if  they  violate  the  dic- 
tates of  confcience,  and  do  thofe    things,   which 
they   know   to  be  wrong,    they  will  incur  his  juft 
difpleafure.     The  moral  re6litude  of  the  Supreme 
Being  lays  mankind  under  moral  obligation  to  obey 
him;  and  at  the  fame  time,  gives  them  juft  ground 
to  expeB,  that  he  will  finally  call   them  to  an  ac- 
count for  all  their  a6lions,  and  treat  them  accord- 
ing to  their  refpe6live  characters,  by  rewarding  the 
righteous,  and  punifliing  the  wicked. 

Thefe,  and  many  other  difagreeable  truths  necef- 
farily  refult  from  the  elTential  perfe6lions  of  the 
great  Creator ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  of  no  avail  to 
deny  the  truth  and  divinity  of  the  Scriptures,  in  or- 
der to  get  clear  from  the  hard  fayings  and  difagree- 
able do6lrines  of  Chrifl  and  his  Apoftles.  No  man, 
under  the  light  of  the  gofpel,  can  really  believe  the 
exiftcnce,  and  love  the  charafterof  God,  and  yet 
difbelieve  and  rejeB:  the  doQrines  of  divine  reve^ 
lation. 

5.  If  there  be  a  God,  then  all  his  reafonabl^ 
creatures  are  bound  to  be  religious.  The  natural 
and  moral  attributes  of  the  Deity  are  the  primary 

ground 


SERMON     I. 


3* 


ground  of  all  religious  duties  and  afFeQions.  And 
fo  long  as  God  continues  to  poffefs  fupreme  pow- 
er, wifdom,  and  goodnefs,  thefe  great  and  amiable 
attributes  will  lay  all  mankind  under  indifpenfable 
obligations  to  love,  revere,  obey  and  worfhip  their 
Creator.  Our  capacity  to  know  God  obliges  us  to 
glorify  him  as  God.  And  hence  we  muft  ceafe  to 
be  reafonable  creatures,  before  we  can  ceafe  to  be 
under  obligation  to  adore  and  worfhip  Him,  in 
whom  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being. 
O  come,  then,  let  us  worfhip  and  bow  down;  let 
us  kneel  before  the  Lord  our  Maker:  and  give  un- 
to  him  the  glory,  which  his  great  and  amiable  char- 
after  deferves.     Amen. 


SERMON     11. 

The  plenary  Infpiration  of  the 
Scriptures. 

II  Peter  i,  21. 

For  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  ly  the  -will  of  mam 
but  holy  men  of  Godjpake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghojl, 

OOME  able  writers  in  favor  of  divine  rev- 
elation, have  ventured  to  compound  the  mat- 
ter with  Infidels,  and  given  up  the  infpiration  of 
fome  parts  of  Scripture,  for  the  fake  of  maintaining 
the  infpiration  of  the  reft.  This  looks  like  carry- 
ing candor  and  condefcenfion  too  far,  and  betray- 
ing the  caufe,  which  they  mean  to  defend.  It  is 
not  to  be  expe6led,  that  Unbelievers  will  be  fatif- 
iied  with  their  partial  conceffions ;  but  will  con- 
tinue their  demands,  until  they  allow  them  to  place 
E  the 


54  SERMON       II. 

the  whole  Bible  upon  a  level  with  the  writings  of 
uninfpired  men.  There  feems,  however,  to  be  no 
occafion  for  the  leaft  yielding  on  the  part  of  Be- 
lievers, 'if  they  can  only  make  k  appear,  that  fo 
long  as  the  facred  Penmen  were  employed  in 
writing  the  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Teftaraent, 
they  were  conftantly  moved  and  guided  by  the  Ho- 
ly Ghoft.  And  this,  it  muft  be  allowed,  is  expreff- 
ly  aflerted  in  the  words  of  our  text.  "  For  the 
prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man  : 
but  holy  men  of  God  fpake  zs  they  were  moved 
by  the  Holy  Ghoft.'*  It  appeals  from  the  prece- 
ding verfes,  that  the  Apoftle  is  here  fpeaking  of 
Scripture  in  general;  and  therefore  his  real  mean- 
ing muft  be,  that  the  Holy  Ghoft  was  the  fupreme 
Agent,  and  holy  men  were  but  mere  inftruments, 
in  writing  the  Word  of  God.  Agreeably  to  this 
conftruQion  of  the  text,  it  will  be  the  bufinefs  of 
the  enfuing  difcourfe  to  make  it  appear, 

That  the  book,  which  we  emphatically  call  the 
Bible,  was  written  by  the  infpiration  of  fuggeftion. 

I  fliall,  firft,  explain  the  meaning  of  this  general 
propofition ;  and,  then,  ofFer  feveral  confiderations 
to  eftablifii  the  truth  of  it. 

Let  us,  in  the  firft  place,  inquire  what  is  to  be 
underftoodby  the  infpiration  of  fuggeftion.  Some 
fuppofe,  there  are  three  kinds  of  infpiration  ;  which 
they  diftinguifti  from  each  other,  by  calling  the  firft, 
the  infpiration  of  3uperintendency;  the  fecond,the 

infpiration 


S   E   R    M   O    N      II.  3| 

infpiration  of  Elevation ;  and  the  third,  the  infpi- 
ration  of  Suggeftion. 

The  infpiration  of  Superintendency  is  fuppofed 
to  be  fuch  a  divine  control  over  the  facred    Pen- 
men, as  left  all  their  rational  powers  in  their  nat- 
ural ftate  :  butyetconftantly  preferved  them  from 
writing  any  thing  falfe  orabfurd. 

The  infpiration  of  Elevation  is  fuppofed  to  be  a 
certain  divine  impulfe  upon  the  minds  of  the  fa- 
cred Writers,  which  warmed  their  imaginations, 
and  raifed  all  their  natural  faculties  to  an  unufual 
degree  of  vigor  and  aftivity. 

And  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  the  infpiration 
of  Suggeftion  took  place,  "  when  the  natural  fac- 
ulties of  the  facred  Penmen  were  fuperfeded,  and 
God  fpake  direftly  to  their  minds,  making  fuch 
difcoveries  to  them,  as  they  could  not  have  other- 
wife  obtained,  and  di6lating  the  very  words  in 
which  fuch  difcoveries  were  to  be  communicated." 

It  was  this  laft  and  higheft  kind  of  infpiration, 
which,  we  fuppofe,  God  was  pleafed  to  afford  thofe 
holy  men,  whom  he  employed  in  writing  the  books 
of  the  Old  and  New  Teftament.  He  not  only  di- 
re6led  them  to  write,  but,  at  the  fame  t\m(t,  fuggejled 
what  to  write  j  fo  that  according  to  the  literal  fenfc 
of  the  the  text,  they  wrote  exaftly  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghoft. 

Now,  the  truth  of  this  obfervation  will  appear,  if 
we  confidcr, 

1.  It 


gS  SERMON       II. 

1.    It  was  neceffary,  that  the  facred   Penmen 
fhould  be  confciom  of  divine  infpi  ration,  all  the  while 
they  were  writing.     It  was  not  fufficient  for  them 
barely  to  know,  that  they  began  to  write  under  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit;   but  it  was  equally  neceffary 
for  them  to  know,  how  long  the  Spirit  continued  to 
move  upon  their  minds.      For  nothing  fliort  of  a 
conflant  realizing  fenfe  of  his  motion  and  direction, 
could  give    them   full    affui-ance,   that  what  they 
wrote  was  the  infallible  word  of  God,  which  they 
might  honeftly    prefent  to  the   world,  under   the 
fanQion  of  divine  authority.     It  muft  be  fuppofed, 
therefore,  that  they  were  aQually  confcious  of  fomc 
kind  of  inspiration,  every  moment  while  they  were 
writing.     But  it  is  difficult  to  conceive,  how  they 
could  be  confcious  of  the  infpiration  of  Superintenden- 
cy,  whi.chfuggefts  neither  thoughts,  nor  words.    And 
it  is  no  lefs  difficult  to  conceive, how  they  could  be 
eonfcious  of  the  infpiration  of  Elevation,   which  only 
affills  the  natural  powers  of  the  mind  to  operate  in 
\\'\t\r  natural  way.     Whereas  it  is  eafy  to  conceive, 
how  they  could  be  eonfcious  of  the  infpiration   of 
Suggejlion.     For  this  muft  have  conftantly  and  pow- 
erfully governed  all  their  thoughts  and  words,  juft 
fo  long  as  it  continued  to  operate.     And  whatever 
they  wrote  under  the  immediate  and  fenfible  influ- 
ence of  fach  a  divine  impulfe,  they  might  fafely  and 
confidently  offer  to  the  world,  as  a  divine  revela- 
tion.    Hence  it  is  natural  to  conclude,  that  they 

enjoyed 


S   E  R   M   O    K       II.  37 

enjoyed,  and  were  confcions  of  enjoying  the  J%g(fi- 
in§  influences  of  the  Spirit,  all  the  while  they  were 
writing  the  facred  pages. 

2.  The  Supreme  Being  was  as  able  to  afford 
them  the  higheji,  as  the  lowejl  kind  of  infpiration. 
He  could  as  CdifWy  fuggejl  thoughts  and  words  to 
their  minds,  as  eithtr fiipcrintend,  or  elevate  their  in- 
telledual  faculties.  This  muft  be  allowed  by  thofe, 
who  diftinguifh  divine  infpiraLion  into  various 
kinds.  They  fuppofe,  the  Deity  always  granted  the 
fuggejling  influence  of  the  Spirit  to  the  facred  Pen- 
men, whenever  they  had  occafion  for  fuch  aflift- 
ance  ;  and  can  aflign  no  other  reafon  for  its  being 
fometimes  fufpended,  but  only  that  it  was  fometimes 
unneccflary.  This,  however,  is  much  eafier  to 
fuppofe,  than  to  prove.  For,  if  the  facred  Writers 
flood  in  conftant  need  o(  fome  kind  of  infpiration, 
as  they  allow,  how  does  it  appear,  that  any  thing 
fhortof  the  infpiration  of  fuggeftion  would  afford 
them  fuificient  aid  ?  And  fince  it  is  natural  to  fup- 
pofe, that  they  did  conflantly  need  to  be  guided  by 
the  Holy  Ghoft,  all  the  while  they  were  writing,  it 
is  natural  to  conclude,  that  they  were  conflantly  fa- 
vored with  the  infpiration  of  Suggeflion.  This 
leads  me  to  obferve, 

3.  That  the  facred  Penmen  were  utterly  incapa- 
ble of  writing  fuch  a  book  as  the  Bible,  without  the 
conflant  guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghoft.  The  pro- 
fefTed  defign  of  this  Book  is  to  afford  weak  and 

depraved 


38  S  E    R   M   O   N      II. 

depraved  creatures  an  infallible  rule  of  faith  and 
pra6lice.     But  even  holy  men  of  God  were  incapa- 
ble of  writing  a  Book,  which  fhould  anfwer  this  im- 
portant purpofe,  without  being  conftantly  guided 
and  diOiated  by  the  Holy  Ghoft.    Mere  fuperinten- 
dency  could  not  afford  them  fufficient  affiftance. 
This  could  only  preferve   them  from  writing  any 
thing  falfe,  or  abfurd,  without  imparting  the  leaft 
light  or  ftrength  to  their  intelleftual  powers.    And 
fuppofmg,  they  had  written  under  fuch  a  divine  pro- 
te6lion  J  yet  iheir  writings  7nuji  have  been  totally 
dellitute  of  divine  inftru6;ion  ;  and  might  have  been 
equally  deftitute  of  the  common  beauties  and  ex- 
cellencies of  human  compofitions.    A  book  may  be 
written  without  a  fingle  error  or  falfehood,  and  yet 
be  a  weak,  inaccurate,  and  contemptible  perform- 
ance.    Had  it  been  poffible,  therefore,  that   God 
fhould  have  preferved  the  facred  Writers  from  ev- 
ery miftake  or  blunder,  without  fuggep.ing  either 
thoughts  or  words  to  their  minds  ;  yet  fuch  a  fuper- 
intendency  would  have  left  them  totally  incapable 
of  writing  a  divine  revelation.     Nor  would  they 
have  been  able  to  perform  fuch  a  difficult  and  im- 
portant work,  had  they  been  further  favored  with 
the  infpiration  of  Elevation.     It  is  true,  this  kind 
of  infpiration  might  have  guarded  them,  in   forac 
meafure,  againft  their  natural  weaknefs  and  imper- 
fe6lion,  and  given  them  fome  real  affiftance  in  their 
compofitions.     A  divine  elevating  influence  upon 

their 


S   E   R   M   O    N     11.  $5 

their  minds,  might  have  enabled  them  to  write  with 
peculiar  eafe,  animation,  and  fublimity.  But  fup- 
podng  their  writings  had  poflefled  all  thefe  beauti- 
ful qualities;  yet  they  would  have  wanted  both  di- 
vine information  and  divine  authority,  which  alone 
could  have  rendered  them  the  real  Word  of  God. 

Now,  if  neither  theyif^erm^ew^m^,  nor  the  elevating 
influences  of  the  Spirit,  were  fufficient  to  enlightea 
and  direft  the  facred  Penmen  in  writing  the  Scrip- 
tures of  truth  ;  then  it  undeniably  follows,  that  they 
ftood  in  conftant  and  abfolute  need  of  the  infpira- 
tioH  of  Suggeftion.  No  lower  nor  lefs  conftant  af- 
fiftance  than  this,  could  enable  them  to  write  a 
book,  fo  free  from  error,  and  fo  full  of  informa- 
tion, as  God  defigned  the  Bible  fhould  be.  It  is 
true,  he  did  not  intend  the  Scriptures  Ihould  reveal 
his  will  upon  all  religious  fubjefts ;  nor  fo  clearly 
reveal  it  upon  fome  fubjeCts,  as  to  prevent  all  hu- 
man doubts,  miftakes,  or  difputes.  But  yet  he 
meant,  that  the  Bible  fhould  be  free  from  all  human 
errors  and  imperfe6lions,  and  contain  all  the  truths, 
which  were  neceffary  to  be  revealed,  in  order  to 
anfwer  the  purpofes  of  his  providence  and  grace. 
And  it  is  eafy  to  fee,  that  every  fentence,  and  even 
every  word  in  fuch  a  Book  as  this,  was  of  too 
much  importance  to  be  written  by  any  unajjijiti  pen. 
Hence  it  is  natural  to  conclude,  the  Holy  Ghoft 
fuggejled  every  thought  and  word  to  the  facred 
Penmen,  all  the  while  they  were  writing  the  holy 
Scriptures.     Befidcs,  4,  To 


40  S  E    R    M    O    N      IL 

^    4.    To  fuppofe,  that  they  fometimes  wrote  with^ 
out  the  infpiraiion  of  Suggeftion,  is  the  fame  as  to 
fuppofe,  that  they  fometimes  wrote  without  any  in- 
fpiration   at  all.      The    diftinguifliing  of   infpira- 
iion into  three  kinds,  is  a  mere  human  invention  ; 
which   has  no   foundation  in  fcripture  or  reafon. 
And   thofe,  who  make  this  diftindion,  appear  to 
araufe  themfelves  and  others,  with  words  without 
ideas.     The  Supreme  Being  is  able  both  \o  Juptr* 
intend  and  elevate  the  minds  of  men,  in  the  common 
djfpenfations  of  providence  and  grace.     Solomon 
tells  us,   "  The  preparations  of  the  heart  in  man, 
and  the  anfwer   of  the  tongue  is  from  the   Lord." 
In  the  exercifc  of  fuch  a  univerfal  control  over 
the  views,  and  thoughts,  and  words  of  men,  God 
does  nothing  which  is  either  fupernatural  ormirac- 
alous.   .  But  Inffiiration,  in  every  degree  of  it,  al- 
ways means  fomething  which  is  truly  fupernatural 
and  miraculous;    and  which  is  eflentially  different 
from  both  common  and  fpecial  grace.     This  clearly 
appears  in   the   cafe   of  the   primitive   chriftians. 
They  were  the  fubjeSls,  not  of  common  and  fpecial 
grace  only,   but  of  divine  Infpiratiort.      "  For  to 
one  was  given  by  the  Spirit  the  word  of  wifdom  :  to 
another,  the  word  of  knowledge  by  the  fame  fpirit; 
to    another,   prophecy,  to  another,  difcerning  of 
fpirits ;  to  another,  divers  kinds  of  tongues,  to  a- 
nother,  the  interpretation  of  tongues."     All  thefe 
fpiritual  gifts  partook  of  the  nature  of  infpiration, 

and 


S   E   R    M   O    N      II.  41 

and  were  truly  miraculous.     They  were  above  na- 
ture, and  fuch  as  the   natural  powers  of  the  mind 
could  not  attain,  by  any  mere  common  or  natural 
affiftance.     But  the  infpiration  of  Superintendency 
and  the  infpiration  of  Elevation  have  nothing  fu- 
pernatural  or  miraculous  in   them  ;  nor  can   they 
be  diftinguifhed  from  common  and   fpecial  grace. 
This  may  be  eafily  illuftrated.     Common  and  fpe- 
ciil  grace  leave  all  the  intelle6lual  faculties  of  the 
mind,  in  their  naturaljlate ;  and  fo  does  what  is  call- 
ed the  infpiration  of  Superintendency.     Common 
and  fpecial  grace  fometimes  enliven  and  invigorate 
the  natural  powers  of  the  mind,  to  a  great  and  un- 
vfual  degree ;  and  fo  does  what  is  called  the  infpira- 
tion of  Elevation.     In  fhort,  no  perfon  is  able  to 
defcribe,  nor  even  to  conceive,  of  any  infoiration,. 
which  is  higher  than  common  affiftance,  and,  yet  at 
the  fame  time,  lower  than  the  infpiration  of  Suggeji'-^ 
ion.     It  is  no  lefs   contrary  to  reafon  to  fuppofe, 
there  are  three,  than  to  fuppofe,   there  are    thirty 
kinds  of  Infpiration.     And  the  di6lates  of  reafon 
upon  this  fubjeft,  are  confirmed  by  the  didatcs  of 
Scripture,  which  fpeaks  only  of  one  kind  of  infpira- 
tion, and  reprefents  that  one  kind  to  be  the  moving  of 
the  Holy  Ghoft,  or  the  infpiration  of  Suggeftion., 
This,  therefore,  was   the  only    infpiration,  under 
which  the  facred  Penmen  wrote,  fo  long  as  they 
were  divinely  infpired.     And  if  they  were  divinely 
iiifpired,  all  the  while  they  were  writing,  then  they 
F  all 


42  SERMON      II. 

all  ihe  while  enjoyed  the  fuggtjling  influences  of 
the  Spirit.  But  it  is  generally  believed  and  main- 
tained, that  they  were  in  feme  meafare,  really  in- 
fpired,  all  the  time  they  were  writing  the  Books  of 
the  Old  and  New  Teftament.  And  if  we  allow 
this  to  be  true,  then  we  muft  neceflarily  fuppofe, 
that  every  book,  and  every  fentence  in  every  book, 
was  written  under  the  plenary  inCpiration  of  Sug- 
geftion.     I  may  now  add, 

5.  That  the  facred  Penmen  profefs  to  have  writ- 
ten the  Scriptures,  under  the  immediate  and  con- 
ftant  guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghofl.  The  Writers  of 
the  Old  Teftament  tell  us,  that  they  faw  vifions ; 
that  the  Word  of  the  Lord  came  to  them ;  and  that 
they  were  divinely  authorized  to  fan6lion  their 
warnings,  their  reproofs,  and  their  predi6lions,  with 
a  Jhm  faith  the  Lord.  By  all  thefe  modes  of  ex- 
preflion,  they  folemnly  profefs  to  have  written,  not 
according  to  their  own  will,  but  as  they  were  dire6t- 
cd  and  moved  by  the  divine  Spirit.  And  this  tef- 
timony  of  the  Prophets  to  their  own  infpiration,  is 
fully  confirmed  by  the  united  teftimony  of  the  A- 
poftles.  Peter  fays,  "  No  prophecy  of  the  Scrip- 
ture is  of  any  private  interpretation.  For  the 
prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man  : 
but  holy  men  of  God  fpake  as  they  w^ere  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghoft."  And  Paul  fays,  «  All  fcripture 
is  given  by  infpiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable 
for  doBrinCj  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  inftruc- 

tipn 


SERMON       II.  43 

tion  in  righteoufnefs ;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfeft,  throughly  furniflied  unto  all  good  works." 
The  Apoftle  here  aflerts,  that  all  fcripture  in  gene- 
ral is  given  by  infpiration  of  God  ;  and  that  all  parts 
of  fcripture  in  particular,  which  are  profitable  ei- 
ther for  doQrine,  or  reproof,  or  corre6lion,  or  in- 
ftruBion,  are  given  by  the  fame  infpiration.  Thefe 
parts,  taken  together,  evidently  comprize  all  the 
hiftory,  all  the  biography,  all  the  poetry,  all  the 
prophecy,  and  all  the  precepts,  promifes,  and  threat- 
enings,  to  be  found  in  the  law  and  the  Prophets. 
This  paflage,  therefore,  teflifies  to  the  immediate 
infpiration  of  the  whole,  and  of  every  part  of  the 
Old  Teftament  writings.  And  the  fame  Apoftle 
gives  as  ample  teftimony  to  the  infpiration  of  the 
Writers  of  the  New  Teftament.  He  fpeaks  of  his 
own  infpiration,  with  great  affurance.  "  But  I  cer- 
tify you,  brethren,  that  the  gofpel,  which  was 
preached  of  me,  is  not  after  man.  For  I  neither 
received  it  of  man,  neither  was  I  taught  it.  but  by 
the  revelation  o^  '^t[\i$  Chrift."  In  another  paffage^ 
he  more  fully  and  exprefsly  afterts,  that  both  he 
and  the  other  Apoftles  were  favored  with  the  infpi- 
ration of  Suggeftion.  "  But,  as  it  is  written,  Eye 
hath  not  feen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered 
into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath 
prepared  for  th<;m  that  love  him.  But  God  hath 
rtveakd  them  to  k5  by  his  Spirit ; — which  things  alfo 
we  fpeak ;  not  in  the  words  which  man's  wifdom  teach- 

cth. 


44  SERMON       II, 

eth,  but  which  the  Holy  Ghojl  teacheth."  The  A- 
poftle  John  alfo  profeffes  to  have  been  divinely 
taught  and  dire6led,  in  writing  his  Revelations. 
"  The  revelation  of  Jefus  Chrift,  wl  ich  God  gave 
unto  hira,  to  (hew  unto  his  lervants  thirgs  which 
mull  (hortly  come  to  pafs ;  and  he  fent  and  fignifi- 
ed  it  by  his  angel  unto  his  fervant  John  :  u^ho  bare 
record  oiihQ  word  of  God,  and  of  the  teftimony  of 
Jefus  Chrift}  and  of  all  things  that  he  jaw''  Thus 
the  Apoftles  and  Prophets  profefs  to  have  written 
under  the  immediate  infpiration  of  God,  who  dic- 
tated the  matter,  manner,  and  ftyle  of  their  writings. 
And  from  this  and  the  other  confiderations  which 
have  been  offered,  we  have  fufficient  reafon  to  be- 
lieve, that  the  Bible  was  written  from  beginning  to 
end,  by  the  infpira'tion  of  Suggeftion, 

But  fince  this  is  a  very  important  fubje6l,  which 
claims  a  fair  and  full  difcuffion  ;  it  may  be  proper 
to  take  particular  notice  of  the  mod  weighty  ob- 
jeflions,  which  may  be  made  againft  the  plenary  in^ 
fpiration  of  the  l\oly  Scriptures. 

1.  It  may  be  (aid,  there  appears  a  great  diverfity 
in  the  manner  and  ftyle  of  the  facred  Penmen, 
which  cannot  be  eafily  reconciled  with  the  fuppo- 
fnion  of  their  being  equally  and  conftantly  guided 
hy  the  infpiration  of  Suggeftion. 

It  is  true,  indeed,  we  plainly  difcover  fome  vari- 
ety in  the  manner  and  ftyle  of  the  facred  Writers. 
Ifaiah  and  Paul,  as  well  as  Mofes,  David,  and  Sol- 
omon, 


SERMON      IT.  45 

omon,  who  were  men  of  education  and  refinement, 
write  in  a  more  pure  and  elevated  ftyle,  than  the 
prophet  Amos,  who  lived  among  the  hevdmen  of 
Tekoa.  and  the  Apoftle  Jx')hn,  who  lived  among 
the  fifher-men  of  Galilee.  But  this  is  eafy  to  he  ac- 
counted for,  by  only  fuppofing,  that  God  di6iated 
to  each  facred  Penman  a  manner  and  ftyle  corrcf- 
ponding  to  his  own  peculiar  genius,  education,  and 
manner  of  living.  Were  a  parent  to  di£late  a  let- 
ter for  a  child,  would  he  not  di6late  it,  in  a  manner 
and  ftyle  fomewhat  agreeable  to  the  age,  genius, 
and  attainments  of  the  child  ?  And  is  there  not  as 
much  reafon,  why  God  fiiould  diflate  a  different 
manner  and  ftyle  to  the  different  Authors  of  the 
Old  and  New  Teftament  ;  as  why  he  ihould  em- 
ploy fo  many  men  of  fuch  different  degrees  of 
knowledge  and  refinement,  to  write  the  facred  Scrip- 
tures ?  We  do  not  difcover,  therefore,  any  greater 
diverfity  in  the  manner  and  ftyle  of  the  facred  Pen- 
men, than  we  might  reafonably  expe6l  to  find  in 
cafe,  they  wrote  exa6lly  as  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghoft. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  we  find  a  much  greater 
fimilarity  in  their  manner  and  ftyle,  than  could  be 
reafonably  expelled,  on  fuppofition  of  their  writ- 
ing agreeably  to  their  own  genius  and  tafte,  with- 
out the  ffggefting  influences  of  the  Spirit.  That 
great  chriftian  philofopher,  Robert  Boyle,  and  ma- 
ny   other  excellent  judges  of  good  compofition, 

have 


46  S   E    R    M    O   N       IL 

have  juflly  obferved,  that  there  is  not  only  a  fim- 
plicity,  but  a  fublimity,  in  the  ftyle  of  Scripture, 
which  cannot  be  found  in  any  other  writings.  This 
is  not  all.  The  facred  Penmen  have  a  manner,  as 
well  as  a  ftyle,  which  is  peculiar  to  thcmfelves. 
They  feem  to  avoid  the  common  modes  and  forms 
of  uninfpired  Writers.  They  write  in  the  moft  free, 
eafy,  and  authorative  manner.  They  enter  upon 
their  fubje6ls,  without  any  formal  introdu8;ion ; 
they  purfue  their  fubje6lsj  without  any  formal  ar^ 
guments,  or  difTartations ;  and  they  conclude  their 
fubjeQs,  without  any  formal  reflexions,  or  recapit- 
ulations. Herein  they  not  only  diflPer  from  others, 
but  agree  with  one  another.  And  this  general  fim^ 
ilarity  of  manner,  as  well  as  ofjf-yk,  is  a  ftronger  ev- 
idence in  favor  of  their  plenary  infpiration,  than 
any  inaccuracy  or  inelegance  of  language  is  againft 
it. 

Befides,   the  manner  and  ftyle  of  the    facred 

Writers  were  of  too  much  importance,  to  be  left 
to  their  own  unaffifted  difcretion  and  integrity. 
Will  any  wife  general  permit  an  under  officer  to 
deliver  his  fpecial  Orders  to  the  army,  without  dic- 
tating the  expreffions  to  be  ufed  ?  Or  will  any  pub- 
lic body  fend  an  important  meftage  to  any  other 
public  body  without  diftating  the  words  of  the  mef- 
fage  ?  Can  it  be  fuppofed,  then,  that  God  would 
fufFer  his  imperfe6l,  fallible  creatures  to  publifli  his 

will, 


SERMON      II. 


47 


will,   without  dilating  the   manner   and  ftyle,  in 
which  his  will  fliould  be  publiflicd  ? 

2.  It  may  be  faid,  that  the  miftakes  and  contra- 
di6lions  to  be  found  in  the  Scriptures,  plainly  re- 
fute the  notion  of  their  being  written  under  the  in- 
fpiration  of  Suggeftion. 

To  this  it  may  be  replied  in  general,  that  moft 
of  the  fuppofed  miftakes  and  contradiBions  to  be 
found  in  the  Scriptures,  may  be  only  apparent ;  and 
fo  might  be  fully  reconciled  or  removed,  if  we  were 
better  acquainted  with  the  original  languages,  in 
which  the  facred  books  were  written,  and  with  the 
cuftoms  and  manners  of  the  different  ages  and 
places,  in  which  the  facred  Penmen  lived.  But 
the  direO;  and  decifive  anfwer  to  this  obje6lion  is> 
that  it  operates  with  equal  force  againft  every  kind 
of  infpiration.  This  all  muft  allow,  who  fuppofe, 
that  there  are  more  kinds  of  infpiration  than  one; 
and  who  maintain,'  that  all  thofe  parts  of  Scripture, 
which  were  not  written  by  the  infpiration  of  Sug- 
geftion were  written  either  by  the  infpiration  of  Su- 
perintendency,  or  the  infpiration  of  Elevation, 
For,  fo  long  as  God  tCptciaWy  fuperintended,  or  ef- 
pecially  elevated  ihe  minds  of  the  facred  Penmen, 
he  muft  have  effe6lually  preferved  them  from  all 
7'eal  contradidions  and  miftakes.  Indeed,  this  ob- 
jeBion  refutes  itfelf.  For,  if  nothing  fiiort  of  the 
infpiration  of  Suggeftion  could  have  preferved  the 
/acred  Writers  from  falling  into  real  errors,  then 

it 


48  SERMON      IL 

it  mud  be  fiippofed  that  they  were  conftantly  dic- 
tated by  the  Holy  Ghoft.  And  if  they  wrote  under 
this  plenary  infpiration,  then  the  merely  apparent 
errors  to  be  found  in  their  writings  muft  be  placed 
to  our  own  ignorance  ;  and  all  the  real  contradic- 
tions and  miftakes  muft  be  imputed  to  the  igno- 
rance, or  inattention,  or  unfaithful nefs  of  tranfcri- 
bers  and  of  tranflators. 

3.  It  may  be  faid,  fince  God  originally  intend- 
ed, that  the  Bible  (hould  be  tranfcribed  by  different 
hands,  and  tranflated  intodifferent  languages,  there 
was  no  occahon  for  his/w^^f/^^??^  every  thought  and 
word  to  the  facred  Penmen;  becaufe,  after  all, 
their  writings  muft  be  fubject  to  human  defefts  and 
imperfc6lions. 

It  is  fufficient  to  obferve  here,  that  every  tranf- 
cripiion  and  tranflation  is  commonly  more  or  lefs 
perfeft,  in  proportion  to  the  greater  or  lefs  perfec- 
tion of  the  original.  And  fince  the  Scriptures 
were  defigned  to  be  often  tranfcribed  and  tranflat- 
ed  3  this  made  it  more  necefTary,  inftead  o^lefs,  that 
they  fliould  be  written,  at  firft,  with  peculiar  accu- 
racy and  precifion.  Men  always  write  with  great 
exaBnefs,  when  they  expe6l  their  writings  will  be 
frequently  copied,  or  tranflated  into  various  lan- 
guages. The  inftru6lions  to  an  Ambaffador  at  a 
foreign  Court,  are  ufually  written  with  extraordina- 
ry care  and  attention  ;  becaufe  it  is  naturally  ex- 
peLlecl;  that  fuch  writings  will  be  often  tranfcribed 

and 


S    E    R    M    O    N      ir.  4p 

and  tranflated.  And  upon  this  ground,  we  may  rea- 
fonably  fuppofe,  that  the  divine  Spirit  di6lated  ev- 
ery thought  and  word  to  the  facred  Penmen,  to 
prevent  grofs  errors  andmiftakes  from  finally  creep- 
ing into  their  writings  by  frequent  tranfcriptions 
and  tranflations. 

4.  It  may  be  faid,  that  the  Apoftle  Paul  feems  to 
acknowledge,  in  the  feventh  chapter  of  his  firft  E- 
piftle  to  the  Corinthians,  that  he  wrote  fome  things 
in  that  chapter,  according  to  his  own  private  opin- 
ion, without  the  aid  or  authority  of  a  plenary  infpi- 
ration.  In  one  verfe  he  fays,  "  I  fpeak  this  by  per- 
miffion,  and  not  of  commandment."  And  in  another 
verfe  he  fays.    "  To  the  reft  fpeak  I,  not  the  Lord." 

If  we  underftand  thefe  expreffions  literally^  then 
we  muft  fuppofe,  that  the  Apoftle  and  all  the  other 
facred  Penmen  always  wrote  under  a  plenary  infpi- 
ration,  only  when  they  gave  intimations  to  the  con- 
trary. If  it  were  proper  for  one  of  thefe  Writers, 
then  it  was  proper  for  all  of  them,  to  give  notice 
when  they  wrote  without  a  plenary  infpiration.  And 
if  it  were  proper  to  give  fuch  notice  in  one  inftance, 
then  it  was  proper  in  every  inftance,  when  they 
wrote  by  permiflion,and  not  of  commandment.  But 
we  find  no  fuch  notice  given,  except  in  the  chapter 
under  confideration;  and  therefore  we  mayjuft- 
iy  conclude,  that  all  the  other  parts  of  Scripture 
were  written  by  the  immediate  infpiration  of  God. 

But  if,  in  the  fecond  place,  we  underftand  the 
G*  -  Apoftle 


50  S   E    R    M    O   K       n. 

Apoftle  as  fpeaking  ironically  in  the  verfes  berorfi' 
us,  then  his  exprelTions  will  carry  no  idea  of  his 
writing,  without  divine   aid  and  authority.     And 
there  is  fome   ground  to  underftand  his  words  in 
this  fenfe.     He  was  not  made  a  fubje6l  of  fpecial 
grace,  nor  called  to  be  an  Apoftle,  until  fome  time 
after  Chrift's  afcenfion  to  heaven.     This  gave  his 
enemies  occafion  to  infinuate,  that  he  was  inferior 
to  the  other  Apoftles,  in  point  of  divine  authority. 
And  he  knew,  that  fome  of  the  Corinthians  had  im- 
bibed this  prejudice  againft  him;  for  he  fays,  "  they 
fought  2i  proof  of  Chrift  fpeaking  in  him."     Hence 
we  find  in  the  clofe  of  this  chapter,  after  he  had 
been  fpeaking  ironically  of  his  own  infpiration,  he 
fays  fcrioufly,  "  I  think  alfo  that  I  have  the  Spirit 
of  God."     That  is,  I  think  I  have  the  fupernatural 
and  fuggefling  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as 
well  as  the  reft  of  the  Apoffles,  whom  you  acknowl- 
edge to  be  divinely  infpired.      This  explains  his 
doubtful  expreflfions,  and  afcertains  the  divine  in- 
fluence, under  which  he  wrote  this  chapter,  and 
this  and  all  his  other  Epiftles. 

There  is,  however,  a  third  anfwer  to  this  objec- 
tion, which  appears  to  be  the  moft  fatisfaBory  :  and 
that  is  this.  The  Apoftle  is  here  fpeaking  upon  the 
fubjeft  of  marriage;  and  he  intimates,  that  he  has 
more  to  fay  upon  this  fubjed,  than  either  the  Proph- 
ets, or  Chrift  had  faid  upon  it.  Accordingly  he 
fays,  "  I  fpeak  this  by  permiflion.  aad  not  of  com- 

maudmerit. 


S   E   R    M    O    N      II.  51 

mandment.  To  the  reft  fpeak  I,  not  the  Lord." 
By  thefe  expreffions,  he  means  to  diftinguifli  what 
he  faid  from  what  other  infpired  Teachers  had  faid, 
upon  the  fame  fubje6l.  And  to  convince  the  Corin- 
thians, that  he  had  not  been  fpeaking  his  own  pri- 
vate opinion  in  reference  to  them  in  particular ;  but 
had  been  delivering,  by  divine  authority,  fuch  pre- 
cepts as  fliould  be  univerfally  and  perpetually  bind* 
ing  upon  chriftians  in  general,  he  makes  this  explic- 
it declaration  in  the  feventeenth  verfe  :  "  And  fo 
ordain  I  in  all  the  churches." 

On  the  whole,  there  appears  no  folid  objeflioii 
againft  the  plenary  infpiration  of  any  part  of  the 
facred  Scriptures ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  every 
argument  which  proves  them  to  be  partly^  equally 
proves  them  to  be  altogether-,  given  by  the  immedi- 
ate infpiration  of  God. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

I.  IF  the  Bible  contains  the  very  ideas  and  fen- 
timents,  which  were  immediately  fuggefted  to  the 
facred  penmen,  by  the  divine  Spirit ;  then  great 
caution  and  circumfpeftion  ought  to  be  ufed  in  ex- 
plaining Scripture,  The  words  of  Scripture  may 
not  be  lightly  altered,  nor  expunged,  nor  fupplied, 
norwrefted  from  their  plain  and  obvious  meaning 
according  to  the  conne6lion  in  which  they  ftand. 
Some  have  ufed  great  freedom  with  the  Bible,  and 
treated  it  with  lefs  deference,  than  they  would  have 

dared 


ga  SERMON       II. 

dared  to  treat  an  antient  Greek  or  Latin  author. 
They  have  fupplied  places,  where  they  imagined 
■words  were  wanting.     They  have  tranfpofed  not 
only  words,  but  fentenCes,  paragraphs,  and   even 
whole  chapters.     And  all  this  has  commonly  been 
done,  to  fupport  fome  favorite  error,  or  to  evade 
fome  difagreeable  doftrine.      The  advocates  for 
Arminianifm,  Arianifm,  Socinianifm,  and  Univer- 
falifm,  have  done  great  violence  to  Scripture,  in 
this  way.     Their  fyftems  of  religion  are  fo  contra- 
ry to  the  plain  and  literal  fenfe  of  the  Bible,  that 
they  have  found  themfetves  under  the  difagreeable 
necefiity  of  diftorting  and  disjointing  the   Scrip- 
tures, in  order  to  read  them  into  their  preconceiv- 
ed and  preadopted  fchemes.      But  there  is  not,  I 
believe,  any  efiential  or  important  doftrine  of  the 
Bible,  which  is  to  be  found  in  fuch  dark  or  doubt- 
ful texts  only,  as  require  a  great  deal  of  learning 
and  criticifm  to  explain.    If  any  fcheme  of  religious 
fentiments  cannot  be  difcovered  and  fupported  by 
plain  and  intelligible  paflages  of  Scripture,  there 
is  great  real'on  to   fufpeft  the  truth  of  it.      If,  for 
inftcince,  no  man  can  determine,  that  all  men  will 
be  faved,   without   reading  the    New   Tellament 
through  repeatedly  and  critically  in  the   original 
language,  there  is  great  reafon  to  doubt  whether 
the  doftrine  of  univerfal  falvation,   is  really  con- 
tained in  the  Bible.    The  moil  important  doftrines 
of  the  gofpel  are  fo  neceffarily  connefted,  and  fo 

repeatedly 


SERMON      Ii;  ^^ 

repeatedly  and  plainly  exprefled,  in  different  parts 
of  Scripture,  that  all  men  of  common  knowledge, 
and  of  common  honefty,  may  eafily  difcover  them. 
And  every  perfon  ought  to  be  very  cautious  how 
he  adopts  any  religious  fentiments,  which  feem.  to 
contradift  the  general  current  of  Scripture,  and 
which  cannot  be  maintained,  without  denying,  or 
explaining  away,  the  plain  and  obvious  meaning  of 
many  paflages  in  the  Bible. 

2.  If  the  divine  Spirit  fuggefted  every  word  and 
thought  to  the  holy  Penmen;  then  it  is  not  ftrange, 
that  they  did  not  underftand  their  own   writings. 
Thefe  the  Apoftle  tells  us,  in  our  context,  they  did 
not  underftand.     "  Of  which  falvation  the  proph- 
ets have  enquired  and   fearched   diligently,  who 
prophefied  of  the  grace  that  fhould  come  unto  you : 
Searching  what  or  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit 
of  Chrift  which  was  in  them  did  fignify,  when  it 
teftified  before  hand  the  fufferings  of  Chrift,  and 
the  glory  that  fliould  follow.    Unto  whom  it  was  re- 
vealed, that  not  unto  themjelves^  but  unto  us,  they  did 
minifter  the  things  which  ar-e  now   reported  unto 
you  by  them  that  have  preached  the  gofpel  unto 
you,  with  the  Holy  Ghoft  fent  down  from  heaven." 
By  this  it  appears,  that  the  prophets  did  not  under- 
ftand thofe  things,  which  they  wrote  under  the  im- 
mediate influence  and  fuggeftion  of  the  Spirit  of 
Chrift.     And  it  is  eafy  to  conceive,  that  the  facred 
Writers  fliould  be  ignorant  of  many  things,  in  their 

own 


54  S   E    R    M   O    N      II. 

own  writings,  if  they  were  not  left  to  write  accor- 
ding to  their  own  natural  and  unaffifted  abilities. 
They  might,  by  the  aid  of  the  Spirit,  write  pre- 
cepts, predi6lions,  proinifes,  and  threatenings,  of 
whofe  import  they  were  ignorant,  that  fliould  be 
very  intelligible  and  very  ufeful,  in  future  ages. 
They  wrote  not  for  themfelves,  but  for  others ;  not 
for  prefent,  but  future  times.  And  this  affords  an 
additional  evidence  of  the  plenary  infpiration  of 
^11  the  facred  writings. 

3.  If  the  Bible  was  written  under  the  Infpiration 
of  Suggeflion,  then  it  is  an  infallible  rule  of  faith, 
and  the  only  ftandard,  by  which  to  try  our  reli- 
gious fentiments.  When  we  are  in  doubt  about  our 
own  religious  opinions,  or  the  religious  opinions 
of  others,  we  ought  to  carry  them  to  the  Law  and 
to  the  Teitimony,  and  abide  the  divine  decifion. 
Thofe  fentiments,  which  are  agreeable  to  the  Bi- 
ble, are  to  be  received  as  true ;  but  thofe,  which 
are  neither  found  in  the  Bible,  nor  are  agreeable  to 
it,  are  to  be  reje6led  as  falfe.  Thercjs  no  other 
ftandard  of  fuperior  authority,  to  which  we  can  ap-. 
peal.  We  may  not  appeal  from  Scripture  to  rea- 
Ibn,  if  Scripture  be  the  word  of  God.  But  if  it 
be  not,  then  we  may,  with  propriety,  appeal  from 
Scripture  to  reafon.  Accordingly,  we  find,  that 
ihofe  who  deny  the  plenary  Infpiration  of  the  Bi- 
ble, take  the  liberty  of  appealing  from  Scripture 
to  reafon.    Dr.  Prieilly,  Mr.  Lyndfcy,  and  other:?, 

whea 


SERMON      ir.  55 

^vhcn  they  are  pinched  with  Scripture  arguments 
af^ainft  their  Socinian  fentiments,  appeal  from  the 
opinion  of  the  Apoftles,  to  the  fuperior  authority 
of  Reafon.  They  confider  the  New  Teftament 
writers  as  fallible  men,  who  wrote  their  own  fenti- 
timents  honeftly,  but,  who,  being  deftitute  of  the 
Infpiration  of  Suggeftion,  might  make  millakes  in 
the  mod  important  doctrines  of  religion.  And  if 
it  be  allowed,  that  the  prophets  and  the  Apoftles, 
did  write  the  prophetical,  hiftorical,  and  doQirinal 
parts  of  the  Bible,  without  the  Suggefting  influen- 
ces of  the  Spirit,  then  there  is  no  more  harm,  nor 
impropriety,  in  appealing  from  their  writings  to 
Reafon,  than  in  appealing  from  the  writings  of  oth- 
er men  to  that  fuperior  ftandard.  But,  if  what  we 
have  endeavored  to  prove  be  true,  that  every  word 
and  fentiment  in  tlie  Bible  was  immediately  fug- 
gefted  to  the  facred  Penmen,  by  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
then  their  writings  are,  ftriQly  fpeaking,  the  word 
of  God  ;  and  to  appeal  from  their  writings  to  rea- 
fon, is  the  fame  as  to  appeal  from  God  to  man  ; 
which  is  abfurd  and  criminal  in  the  higheft  degree, 
4.  If  holy  men  of  old  wrote  as  they  were  mov- 
ed by  God,  then  it  is  reafonable  to  expeft,  that  the 
Bible  (hould  bear  clear  and  ftrong  marks  of  its 
divine  Author.  Every  human  compofiiion  bears 
marks  of  human  imperfe61ion.  A  divine  compo- 
fition,  therefore,  will  as  infallibly  bear  marks  of  di- 
vine perfeBion.  Accordingly,  when  we  look  into 
the  Bible,  we  find  the  image  and  fuperfcription  of 

the 


56  S  E  Jl    M   O    N      11. 

the  Deity,  on  every  page.  It  difplays  all  the  per- 
fe6lions  of  God.  We  fee  the  power  of  God  in  the 
■works  of  creation,  providence,  and  grace,  which 
are  afcribed  to  hira.  We  fee  the  vifdom  of  God  in 
the  great  fcheme  of  redemption,  which  the  Scrip- 
tures reveal.  We  fee  the  boundlefs  knowledge  of 
God,  in  the  prophecies  of  future  events,  which 
could  be  foreknown  and  foretold,  by  no  other  than 
an  omnifcient  Being.  We  fee  the  holinefs  of  God 
in  the  precepts  and  prohibitions  and  penalties,  con- 
tained in  the  Bible.  We  fee  the  future  ftate  of  all 
moral  beings  clearly  defcribed,  which  none  but 
the  Supreme  Being  could  either  know  or  defcribe. 
The  Bible,  in  Ihort,  contains  thofe  things,  which 
we  ftand  in  the  moft  need  of  knowing,  and  which 
God  only  could  reveal  to  us.  It  has,  therefore, 
every  internal  mark  of  its  divine  original  and  divine 
authority,  which  it  is  reafonable  to  expeft,  that  a 
divine  Revelation  ihould  bear  on  the  face  of  it. 
We  might  as  eafily  conceive,  that  a  number  of  men 
fhould  have  created  a  new  material  and  intelleftual 
world,  as  that  they  fhould  have  devifed,  compofed, 
and  propagated  fuch  a  Book  as  the  Bible,  in  which 
the  character  and  defigns  of  God  are  fo  clearly 
unfolded,  and  the  final  ilfue  of  things  fo  clearly 
and  juftly  revealed.  As  the  Bible  claims  to  be,  [o 
it  proves  itfelf  to  be,  the  word  of  God.  For  no 
other  being,  or  beings  could,  or  would  have  writ- 
ten a  Book  fo  honorable  to  God,  fo  difhonorable 
to  men,  and  fo  agreeable  to  the  relations  which 

creatures 


SERMON      II.  sj 

creatures  bear  to  one  another,  and  to  their  great 
Creitor,  and  fupreme  Difpofer.  Thofe,  therefore, 
who  deny  the  divinity  of  the  Scriptures,  betray 
their  weaknefs  as  well  as  wickednefs. 

5.  If  the  Bible  be  the  immediate  Revelation  of  God's 
mind  and  will  to  men,  then  it  is  a  moft  precious  Book. 
Nothing  can  be  more  defirable  and  more  import- 
ant, than  to  know  the  mind  and  will  of  our  Crea- 
tor, our  Sovereign,  and  our  Supreme  Judge.    It  is 
comparatively  of  little  moment,  whether  we  know 
the  hiftory  of  the  world,  the  laws  of  nature,  or  the 
ufe  of  arts  and  fciences.     All  the  Books  written 
upon  thefe  fubjefts  are  lighter  than  a  feather,  when 
put  into  the  balance  with  the  Bible.    This  Book  as 
far  furpaffes,  in  value,  all  other  books,  as  our  eter- 
nal interefts  furpafs  our  temporal.     No  wonder^^ 
therefore,  that  a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  fhowld 
fo  highly  efteem  his  word.     David  fays  unto  God, 
"  O  how  love  I  thy  law !   it  is  my  meditation  all 
the  day.     How  fweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  tafte  f 
yea,  fweeter  than  honey  to  my  mouth.     I  love 
thy  commandments  above  gold;   yea,  above  fine 
gold.     The  law  of  thy  mouth  is  better  unto  me 
than  thoufands  of  gold  and  filver."     He  gives  the 
reafons  of  his  high  eftimation  of  the  word  of  God 
in  the  19th  Pfalm.  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfeft, 
converting  the  foul :    the  teftimony  of  the  Lord  i£ 
fure,  making  wife  the  fimple.    The  ftatutes  of  the 
Lord  are  right,  rejoicing  the  heart;  the  command-^ 
ment  of  the  Lord  is  pure  enlightening  the  eyes. 
H  The 


gs  Sermon     ih 

The  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righteous 
altogether.  More  to  be  defired  are  they  than  gold, 
yea,  than  much  fine  gold  :  fweeter  alfo  than  honey, 
and  the  honey-comb."  All  who  regard  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  eternal  interefts  of  their  own  fouls, 
muft  highly  prize  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  have 
brought  life  and  immortality  to  liglit,  and  which 
are  able  to  make  them  wife  unfo  falvation. 

6.  If  the  Bible  contains  the  mind  and  will  of 
God,  then  all,  who  enjoy  it,  may  know,  in  this 
•world,  what  will  be  their  ftate  in  the  next.  It  clear* 
ly  defcribes  both  heaven  and^hell,  and  the  terms 
upon  which  we  may  obtain  the  one,  and  efcape  the 
other.  All  penitent,  fubmiffive,  and  obedient  be- 
lievers, may  find  great  and  precious  promifes  made 
to  perfons  of  their  charafter,  in  the  Bible.  And 
all  impenitent,  rebellious,  and  unbelieving  finners, 
may  find,  in  the  fame  Book,  great  and  dreadful 
threatenings  denounced  againft  perfons  of  their 
chara6ler.  The  condition  of  every  perfon  in  a  fu- 
ture ftate,  will  be  correlpondent  with  his  charaQer 
in  this.  Every  perfon,  therefore,  by  comparing 
his  charafter  with  the  word  of  God,  may  deter- 
mine, whether  he  is  a  child  of  wrath,  or  an  heir  of 
heaven.  For,  at  the  laft  day,  the  books  will  be 
opened,  and  among  other  books,  the  facred  vol- 
ume of  the  Bible  will  be  opened,  and  thofe  who 
enjoyed  it,  will  be  judged  and  treated  according  to 
God's  promifes  and  threatenings  contained  in  it. 
This  Chrift  intimated,  when  he  faid,  "  He  that  re- 

je6teth 


S   E  R   M  O    N       II.  5^ 

jefteth  me,  and  receiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one 
that  judgeth  him,  the  word  that  I  have  fpoken,  the 
fame  ftiall  judge  him  in  the  laft  day."    The  words 
which  he  fpake  to  his  Minifters,  in  his  laft  commif- 
fion,  were  thefe  :    "  He  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized fhall  be  faved  :  but  he  that  believeth  not  Ihall 
be  damned."     All,  who  will  read  the  Bible  impar- 
tially, may  determine,  whether  they  are  entitled  to 
the  enjoyments  of  heaven,  or  ftand  expofed  to  the 
miferies  of  the  damned.    If  any  live  and  die  igno- 
rant of  their  future  condition,  it  muft  be  owing  to 
their  negligence,  or  their  unwillingnefs  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  the  true  ftate  of  their  minds.     But  it 
muft  be  very  criminal  and  dangerous,  for  thofe  who 
have  the  fure  word  of  prophecy  in  their  hands,  to 
Ihut  their  eyes  againft  the  light,  and  live  and  die 
in  darknefs. 

7.  If  the  Bible  be  indeed  the  word  of  God,  then 
it  is  not  ftrange,  that  it  has  had  fuch  a  great  influ- 
ence over  the  minds  of  men.     No  other  book  iri 
the  world  has  produced  fuch  great  effe6ls  upon 
mankind  as  the  Bible.      Yea,  all  the  books  that 
have  ever  been  publifhed,  have  never  had  a  thou- 
fandth  part  fo  much  power  to  convince,  perfuade^ 
and  govern  the  minds  of  men,  as  the  Scriptures  of 
truth.    The  heathens  wrote  many  books,  in  which 
they  defcribed  the  vanity  of  the  world,  the  defor- 
mity of  vice,  the  beauty  of  virtue,   the  fiiortnefs 
of  life,  the  certainty  of  death,  and  even  the  fate  of 
departed  fouls.    But  their  writings  never  produc- 
ed 


6o  SERMON       II. 

ed  any  great  efFe£l  upon  the  hearts  and  lives  of 
men.  They  were  confidered  and  treated  as  defti- 
tute  of  divine  authority.  But  the  word  of  God, 
contained  in  the  Bible,  has  been  quick  and  power- 
ful, and  fharper  than  a  two  edged  fword.  It  has 
proved  the  means  of  awakening,  convincing,  and 
converting  thoufands  and  thoufands  of  mankind 
from  the  error  of  their  ways.  It  has  fubdued  and 
converted  Atheifls,  Deifts,  Heathen  philofophers. 
Pagan  idolaters,  Jewifli  infidels,  and  the  moft  vic- 
ious and  abandoned  finners,  in  all  parts  of  the  world 
where  it  has  been  fent.  It  has  made  its  learned 
and  bitter  enemies  burn  their  books,  which  were  in 
contradiBion  to  it.  Thefe  great  and  glorious  and 
happy  effe6ls,  which  have  been  produced  by  the 
inftrumentality  of  the  Bible,  are  clear  and  indubita- 
ble atteftations  to  its  divine  original  and  facred  au- 
thority. It  is  hard  to  determine  whether  it  difcov- 
ered  greater  folly,  or  greater  malignity,  in  a  late 
infidel  to  fay,  that  any  man  might  write  as  good  a 
book  as  the  Bible.  Socrates  and  Plato,  Seneca,  and 
Cicero  could  not  write  fo  good  a  book.  Their 
writings  never  converted  their  readers  from  idola- 
try, luxury,  or  immorality.  But  the  Bible  has  con- 
verted millions  and  millions  from  the  moft  abfurd 
principles,  and  moft  vicious  pra6lices.  And  we  ap- 
peal even  to  infidels  themfelves,  whether  they  do 
not  approach  the  Bible  with  awe,  read  it  with  fear, 
and  clofe  it,  with  a  painful  conviQion  of  its  divine 
^"<-^""V-  SERMON 


\i 


'^■\y  y< .y':>'..-    '■,'','':'-'^ -'<'.'^. ''.'■••'.''->'>':■'•'>':  ••  y .'■■■y":.-  '^  __,  ,^-  '•■^>-.. '■;'-;^ 

SERMON     III. 

>- 

The  cjflential  and  immutable 
difFerence  between  Right  and 
Wrong. 

Isaiah    v,  20. 

Wo  unto  them  that  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil ;  that 
put  darknejs  for  lights  and  light  for  darknefs ;  thai 
put  hitter  for  fwtct^  and  fweet  far  hitter  ! 

J.T  appears  from  the  preceding  context, 
that  God  had  ufed  a  great  variety  of  means,  to  cul- 
tivate the  minds  ©f  his  people,  and  prepare  them 
to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  righteoufnefs.  But  a!I 
the  means  which  he  had  ufed  with  them,  were  un- 
happily loft  upon  them.  Inftead  of  bringing  forth 
grapes,  they  brought  forth  wild  grapes.  Inftead 
of  growing  better  under  divine  cultivations,  they 
waxed  worfe  and  worfe,  until  they  prefumed  to 
juftify  ihcmfelvcs,  by  denying  the  ciftinSion  be- 
tween 


62  SERMON      III. 

tween  virtue  and  vice.     For  this  prefumption,  God 
denounces  a  heavy  wo  againft  them  in  our  text. 
«  Wo  unto  them  that  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil ;   that 
put  darknefsfor  light,  and  light  for  darknefs  ;  that  put 
bitter  for  fweet^  andfweet/or  bitter  /"     The  propri- 
ety of  this  threatening  is  founded  in  the  effential 
and  immutable  difference  between  right  and  wrong, 
good  and  evil.      Were  there  no  fuch  diftinftion, 
in  the  nature  of  things,  between  virtue  and  vice, 
there  could  be  no  real  harm,  in  calling  good  evil, 
and  evil  good ;  nor  even  in  denying  the  exiftence 
of  both.      But  if  there  be  a  foundation  in  the  na- 
ture of  things,  for  a  moral  diftinQion  in  the  aftions 
of  moral  agents ;    then  God  may  juftly  threaten 
and  punifh  thofe,  xvho  deny  the  criminality  of  their 
own  finful  condu6l,  by  denying  the  immutable  dif- 
tinftion  between    virtue    and  vice.      Agreeably, 
therefore,  to  the  fpirit  of  the  text,  I  fliall  endeavor 
to  make  it  appear,  that  there  is  in  the  nature  of 

things  an  effential  difference  between  virtue  and 
vice. 

I  fhall  firft  explain  the  meaning,  and  then  con- 
firm the  truth,  of  this  obfervation. 

Every  thing  has  a  nature  which  is  peculiar  to  it- 
felf,  and  which  is  effential  to  its  very  exiftence. 
Light  has  a  nature,  by  which  it  is  diftinguifhed  fro\n 
darknefs.  Sweet  has  a  nature,  by  which  it  is  dif- 
tinguifhed from  bitter.  Animals  have  a  nature,  by 
which  they  are  diftinguifhed  from  men.    Men  have 

a 


SERMON     III.  6$ 

a  nature,  by  which  they  are  diftinguifhed  from  an- 
gels. Angels  have  a  nature,  by  which  they  are  dif- 
tinguifhed from  God.  And  God  has  a  nature,  by 
which  he  is  diftinguifhed  from  all  other  beings. 
Now,  fuch  different  natures  lay  a  foundation  for 
different  obligations;  and  different  obligations  lay 
a  foundation  for  virtue  and  vice  in  all  their  differ- 
ent degrees.  As  virtue  and  vice,  therefore,  take 
their  origin  from  the  nature  of  things;  fo  the  dif- 
ference between  moral  good  and  moral  evil  is  as 
immutable  as  the  nature  of  things,  from  which  it 
refults.  It  is  as  impofBble  in  the  nature  of  things, 
that  the  effeniial  diftin6lion  between  virtue  and 
vice  fhould  ceafe,  as  that  the  effential  diflinftion 
between  light  and  darknefs,  bitter  and  fweet  fhould 
ceafe,  Thefe  diftin6lions  do  not  depend  upon  the 
bare  will  of  the  Deity;  for  fo  long  as  he  continues 
the  nature  of  things,  no  law  or  command  of  his 
can  change  light  into  darknefs,  bitter  into  fweet, 
nor  virtue  into  vice.  And  this  is  what  we  mean 
by  the  affertion,  that  virtue  and  vice  are  elfential- 
\y  different,  in  the  nature  of  things.  Having  fixed 
the  meaning,  I  proceed  to  (how  the  truth,  of  this 
affertion.  And  the  truth  of  it  will  appear,  if  we 
confider, 

1.  That  the  effential  difference  between  virtue 
and  vice  may  be  known  by  thofe,  who  are  wholly 
ignorant  of  God.  The  barbarians,  who  faw  the 
viper  on  Paul's  hand,  knew  the  nature  and  ill  de- 

fert 


g  £   R   M   O    N      llL  64 

fert  of  murder.  The  Pagans,  who  were  in  the  fhip 
with  Jonah,  knew  the  difference  between  natural 
and  moral  evil,  and  confidered  the  former  as  a  prop- 
er and  juft  punifhment  of  the  latter.  The  natives 
of  this  country  know  the  nature  and  obligation  of 
promifes  and  mutual  contra6ls,  as  well  as  our  wifeft 
politicians,  who  form  national  treaties  and  compaQs 
with  thern^  And  even  little  children  know  the 
nature  of  virtue  and  vice,  and  are  able  to  perceive 
the  eflential  difference  between  truth  and  falfe- 
liood,  juftice  and  injuflice,  kindnefs  and  unkind- 
nefs,  obedience  and  difobedience,  as  well  as  their 
parents,  or  any  other  perfons,  who  are  acquainted 
with  God  and  the  revelation  of  his  will.  But  how 
would  children  and  heathens  difcover  the  effential 
difference  between  moral  good  and  evil,  if  this  dif- 
ference were  not  founded  in  the  nature  of  things! 
They  are  totally  ignorant  of  God,  and  of  confe- 
quence,  totally  ignorant  of  his  revealed  will.  It 
is  impoffible,  therefore,  that  they  fhould  know,  that 
any  thing  is  either  right  or  wrong,  virtuous  or  vi- 
cious, becaufe  God  has  either  required,  or  forbid- 
den it.  But  if  the  effential  difference  between 
right  and  wrong  refults  from  the  nature  of  things, 
then  thofe,who  are  entirely  unacquainted  with  God 
and  his  laws,  may  be  able  to  difcover  it.  Heathens, 
on  this  fuppofition,  may  know,  that  murder  is  a 
crime,  though  they  never  knew  God  nor  heard  of 
the  fixth  commandment,  which  fays,  "  Thou  Jhalt 

not 


SERMON     III.  65 

noi  kill."  And  children,  who  know  no  difference 
between  the  Bible  and  other  books  in  refpeft  to  di- 
vine authority,  may  know  the  criminality  of  lying 
and  fteaiing,  and  feel  their  moral  obligation  to  re- 
frain from  thefe  and  other  moral  evils.  Accord- 
ingly we  find,  that  both  thofe,  who  never  heard  of 
the  Bible,  and  thofe,  who  never  read  it,  are  as  ca- 
pable of  difcerning  the  difference  between  moral 
good  and  evil,  as  even  thofe,  who  make  it  their 
bufinefs  to  ftudy  and  explain  the  facred  Oracles, 
And  this  is  a  clear  evidence,  that  the  efifential  dif- 
ference between  virtue  and  vice  refults,  not  from 
the  will  of  God,  but  from  the  nature  of  things. 

2.  Men  are  tapable  of  judging  what  is  right  or 
wrong,  in  refpe6l  to  the  divine  cha.ra6ler  and  con- 
duft.  This  God  implicitly  allows,  by  appealing  to 
their  own  judgment,  whether  he  has  not  treated 
them  according  to  perfeft  reditude.  In  the  con- 
text, he  folemnly  calls  upon  his  people  to  judge  of 
the  propriety  and  benignity  of  his  condu6l  towards 
them.  "  And  now,  O  inhabitants  of  Jerufalem, 
and  men  of  Judah,  judge,  I  pray  you,  betwixt  me 
and  my  vineyard.  What  could  have  been  done 
more  to  my  vineyard  that  I  have  not  done  in  it  ? 
Wherefore  when  I  looked  that  it  fhould  bring  forth 
grapes,  brought  it  forth  wild  grapes  ?"  He  makes 
a  fimilar  appeal  to  the  fame  people,  by  the  prophet 
Jeremiah.  "  Thus  faith  the  Lord,  What  iniquity 
have  your  fathers  found  in  me,  that  they  are  gone 
I  far 


m  SERMON     IIL 

far  from  me,  and  have  walked  after  vanity,  and  arc 
become  vain  ?"  He  fays  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,  I 
"  Hear  now,  O  boufe  of  Ifrael;  is  not  my  way 
equal?  are  not  your  ways  unequal  ?"  And  he  re- 
peats the  queftion,  to  give  it  a  greater  emphafis. 
*'  O  houfe  of  Ifrael,  are  not  my  ways  equal  ?  are 
not  your  ways  unequal  ?"  By  the  prophet  Micah, 
he  appeals  not  only  to  Ifrael,  but  to  all  the  world, 
whether  he  had  not  treated  them  with  the  greatefl 
propriety  and  tendcrnefs,  "  Hear  nov/  what  the 
Lord  faith  :  Arife,  contend  before  the  mountains^ 
and  let  the  hills  hear  thy  voice.  Hear  ye,  O  moun- 
tains, the  Lord's  controverfy,  and  ye  flrong  foun- 
dations of  the  earth  :  for  the  Lord  hath  a  contro- 
verfy with  his  peoples  2.nd  he  will  plead  with  Ifrael. 
O  my  people,  what  have  I  done  unto  thee  ?  and 
wherein  have  1  wearied  thee  ?  teftify  againft  me. 
For  I  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  redeemed  thee  out  of  the  houfe  of  fervants  ; 
and  I  fent  before  thee  Mofes,  Aaron,  and  Miriam, 
O  my  people,  remember  now  what  Balak  king  of 
Moab  confulted,  and  what  Balaam  the  fon  of  Beor 
anfwered  him  from  Shittim  unto  Gilgal,that  ye.may 
kiiozv  the  rightecufnefs  of  the  Lord." 

In  thefe  folemn  appeals  to  the  confeiences  of 
men,  God  does  not  require  them  to  believe,  that  his 
charafter  is  good,  becaufe  it  is  his  charaBer;  nor 
that  his  laws  are  good,  becaufe  they  are  his  laws; 
nor  that  his  condud  is  good,  becaufe  it  is  his  con- 

du6i;. 


SERMON      III.  Sf 

du6l.  But  he  allows  them  to  judge  of  his  charac- 
ter, his  laws,  and  his  conduft,  according  tot  he  im- 
mutable difference  between  right  and  wrong,  in  the 
nature  of  things;  which  is  the  infallible  rule,  by 
which  to  judge  of  the  moral  condud  of  all  moral 
beings.  In  every  inftance,  therefore,  in  which  God 
refers  his  condu6t  to  the  judgment  of  men,  he 
gives  the  ftrongeft  atteftation  to  the  immutable  dif- 
ference between  right  and  wrong  in  the  nature  of 
things. 

3.  God  cannot  deftroy  this  difference  -without 
deftroying  the  nature  of  things.  If  he  (hould  make 
a  law,  on  purpofe,  to  deftroy  the  diftinftion  be- 
tween virtue  and  vice,  it  would  have  no  tendency 
to  deftroy  it.  Or  if  he  fhould  make  a  law,  which 
fhould  forbid  us  to  love  him  with  all  our  hearts, 
and  our  neighbors  as  ourfelves,  it  would  not  deftroy 
the  obligation  of  his  firft  and  great  command.  As 
no  pofitive  precepts  can  deftroy  the  nature  of 
things;  fo  no  pofitive  precepts  can  deftroy  our 
obligations  to  do  what  is  right,  and  to  avoid  what 
is  wrong.  While  God  remains  what  he  is,  it  will 
be  our  duty  to  obey  him,  and  not  his  duty  to  obey 
us.  While  we  remain  what  we  are,  it  will  be  our 
duty  to  do  unto  others  as  we  would  that  they  fhould 
do  unto  us.  And  while  all  moral  beings  remain 
what  they  are,  it  will  be  criminal  in  them,  to  exer- 
cife  cruelty,  injuftice,  or  malevolence  towards  one 
another.  Hence  it  is  evident,  that  even  Omnipo- 
tence 


6S  SERMON      III. 

tence  cannot  deftroy  the  elTential  di{lin6lion  be- 
tween virtue  and  vice,  without  deftroying  the  na-  4 
ture  of  things.  And  this  clearly  proves,  that  vir- 
tue and  vice  are  immutably  different  in  the  nature 
of  things,  independently  of  the  will  or  pleafure  of 
the  Supreme  Being.     I  may  add, 

4.  That  the  Deity  cannot  alter  the  nature  of 
things,  fo  as  to  deftroy  the  efTential  diftin6lion  be- 
tween virtue  and  vice.  We  can  conceive,  that 
God  Ihould  make  great  alterations  in  us,  and  in  the 
ohjeBs  about  us ;  but  we  cannot  conceive,  that  he 
Ihould  make  any  alterations  in  us,  and  in  the  ohjeHs 
about  us,  which  fhould  transform  virtue  into  vice, 
or  vice  into  virtue,  or  which  fliould  deftroy  their 
efTential  differen.ce.  No  pofTible  alteration  in  the 
nature  of  things,  can  make  it  our  duty  to  lie,  or 
Ileal,-  or  murder,  or  exercife  the  leaft  malevolence 
towards  our  fellow  creatures.  This  muft  always 
be  finful  in  our  world,  and  in  any  other  world  of 
moral  agents.  Suppofe  God  fhould  create  a  new 
world,  and  fill  it  with  a  new  race  of  moral  beings. 
We  cannot  conceive,  that  he  fhould  fo  frame  the 
new  world,  and  fo  conftitute  the  minds  of  the 
new  race  of  moral  agents,  as  that  they  fhould  feel 
then'ifelves  under  moral  obligation  to  lie,  and 
ileal,  and  murder,  and  to  avoid  every  exercife  and 
expreflion  of  real  benevolence.  But  if  God  can- 
not deftroy  the  effential  difference  between  virtue 
and  vice,  either  by  an  a8;  of  his  power,  or,  by  an 

aa 


SERMON      III.  69 

aft  of  his  authority,  then  it  is  abfolutely  certain, 
that  this  difference  depends  not  on  his  will,  but  on 
the  nature  of  things,  and  muft  remain  as  long  as 
moral  beings  exill. 

I  might  now  proceed  to  improve  the  fubjeft, 
were  it  not  proper  to  take  notice  of  one  or  two 
objections,  which  may  be  made  againft  what  has 
been  faid. 

ObjeQ:.  1.  To  fuppofe  the  difference  between 
virtue  and  vice  refults  from  the  nature  of  things, 
is  derogatory  and  injurious  to  the  character  of 
God.  For,  on  this  fuppofition,  there  is  a  ftandard 
of  right  and  wrong  fuperior  to  the  will  of  the  De- 
ity, to  which  he  is  abfolutely  bound  to  fubmit. 

To  fay,  that  the  difference  between  right  and 
wrong  does  not  depend  upon  the  will  of  God,  but 
upon  the  nature  of  things,  is  no  more  injurious  to 
Tiis  chara6ler,  than  to  fay,  that  it  does  not  depend  " 
upon  his  will  whether  two  and  two  fhall  be  equal 
to  four  ;  whether  a  circle  and  fquare  fhall  be  dif- 
ferent figures ;  whether  the  whole  fhall  be  greater 
than  a  part ;  or  whether  a  thing  fhall  exift  and  not 
exift  at  the  fame  time.  Thefe  things  do  not  de- 
pend upon  the  will  of  God,  becaufe  they  cannot 
depend  upon  his  will.  So  the  difference  between 
virtue  and  vice  does  not  depend  upon  the  will  of 
God,  becaufe  his  will  cannot  make  nor  deftroy  this 
immutable  difference.  And  it  is  more  to  the  hon- 
or of  Godj  to  fuppofcj  that  he  cannot,  than  that 

he 


<7o  SERMON       III. 

he  can,  perform  impofiibilities.  But  if  the  eternal 
rule  of  right  muft  neceffarily  refult  from  the  na-  d 
ture  of  things,  then  it  is  no  reproach  to  the  Deity  ^ 
to  fuppofe,  that  he  is  morally  obliged  to  conform 
to  it.  To  fet  God  above  the  law  of  reflitude,  is 
not  to  exalt,  but  to  debafe  his  character.  It  is  the 
glory  of  any  moral  agent  to  conform  to  moral  ob- 
ligation. The  fupreme  excellency  of  the  Deity 
confifts,  not  in  always  doing  what  he  pleafes,  but 
in  always  pleafing  to  do  what  is  fit  and  proper  in 
the  nature  of  things. 

Objeft.  2.  There  is  no  other  difference  between 
virtue  and  vice,  than  what  arifes  from  cuftom,  ed- 
ucation, or  caprice.  Different  nations  judge  dif- 
ferently upon  moral  fubjeds.  What  one  nation 
efleems  a  vice,  another  nation  efteems  a  virtue. 
We  efteem  fhealing  a  moral  evil;  but  the  Spartans 
taught  their  children  to  fleal,  and  approved  and  re- 
warded them  for  it. 

We  efleem  murder  a  great  and  heinous  crime  ; 
but  the  Chinefe  put  their  aged  and  ufelefs  parents 
to  death,  and  deftroy  their  weak,  fickly,  deformed 
children,  without  the  leaft  remorfe.  Such  contra- 
riety in  the  opinions  and  praBices  of  different  na- 
tions, refutes  the  notion  of  an  immutable  ftandard 
of  right  and  wrong  in  the  nature  of  things. 

This  objeftion  is  more  fpecious  than  folid.  For, 
in  the  firfl  place,  it  is  certain,  that  all  nations  do 
feel  and  acknowledge  the  effentiai  diflin6lion  be- 
tween liiii 


SERMON       III.  7t 

tween  virtue  and  vice.  They  all  have  words  to 
If  cxprefs  this  diftinftion  between  right  and  wrong. 
And  fince  words  are  framed  for  ufe,  we  may  pre- 
fume,  that  no  nation  would  frame  words  to  exprefs 
ideas  or  feelings,  which  never  entered  their  minds. 
Befides,  all  nations  have  fome  penal  laws,  which 
are  made  to  punifh  thofe  who  are  guilty  of  criminal 
aftions.  It  is,  therefore,  impoffible  to  account  for 
fome  words,  and  fome  laws,  which  are  to  be  found 
among  all  nations,  without  fuppofing,  that  they  feel 
and  regard  the  effential  diftinftion  between  virtu- 
ous and  vicious  condu6l. 

This  leads  me  to  obferve,  in  the  fecond  placcj 
that  no  nation  ever  did  deny  the  diftinQion  be- 
tween virtue  and  vice.  Though  the  Spartans  al- 
lowed their  children  to  take  things  from  others 
without  their  knowledge  and  confent;  yet  they 
did  not  mean  to  allow  them  to  fteal,  in  order  to  in- 
creafe  their  wealth,'  and  gratify  a  fordid  avaricious 
fpirit.  They  meant  to  diftinguifh  between  taking 
znd  Jiealing.  The  former  they  confidered  as  a  mere 
art,  which  was  fuited  to  teach  their  children  fkili 
and  dexterity  in  their  lawful  purfuits  ;  but  the  lat- 
ter they  detefted  and  puniflied  as  an  infamous  crime. 
So  when  the  Chinefe  expofe  their  ufelefs  children, 
or  their  ufelefs  parents,  they  mean  to  do  it  as  an  a8: 
of  kindnefs  both  to  their  friends  and  to  the  pub- 
lic. For  in  all  other  cafes,  they  abhor  murder,  or 
the  killing  of  men  from  malice  prepenfe,  as  much 


72  SERMON      III. 

as  any  other  nation  in  the  world.     There  is  noth- 
ing, therefore,  in  the  pra6lice  of  the  Spartans,  nor 
in  the  praftice  of  the  Chinefe,  which  leads  us  to 
fuppofe,   that  any  nation  ever  denied  the  effential 
diftinftion  between  virtue  and  vice.     But  though 
the  heathens  have  never  denied  this  diftin6lion,  yet 
their  pra6lice  has  often  fhown,  that  they  have  mif- 
taken  vice  for  virtue.      The  Spartans  did  in  in- 
dulging their  children  in  the  praftice  of  taking 
things  from  others  without  their  knowledge  and 
confent.     And  the  Chinefe  are  guilty  of  the  fame 
miftake,  in  their  condu6l  towards  their  fuperannua- 
ted  parents,  and  unpromifing  children.     But  thefe, 
and  all  other  miftakes  of  the  fame  nature,  are  to 
be  afcribed  to  the  corruption  of  the  human  heart, 
which  blinds  and  ftupifies  the  confcience,  and  pre- 
vents It  from  doing  its  proper  office ;  which  is  to 
difcover  the  nature  of  moral  aftions,  and  diflinguifli 
right   from    wrong,    good  from  evil,  in  practice. 
Were  it  not  for  the  blindnefs  of  the  heart,  all  men 
would  perceive  the  eternal  rule  of  right,  and,  un- 
der the  fame  circumftances,  would  form  precifely 
the  fame  judgment  with  refpe6l  to  their  duty.   And 
corrupt  as  the  world  now  is,  mankind   generally 
agree  as  well  in  their  moral  fentiments,  as  in  their 
political^  philofophical  or  rnetaphyjical  opinions.      So 
that  the  general  fentiments  and  praQices  of  man- 
kind concur  with  the  reafons  which  we  have  offer- 
ed, to  prove  the  effential  diftinftion  between  vir- 
tue and  vice,  in  the  nature  of  things.  ^•*' 

It 


,  SERMON      III.  71 

It  now  remains  to  make  a  number  of  deduQions 
h    from  the  important  truth,  which  we  have  explained 
and  eftabliflied. 

1.  If  there  be  an  immutable  difference  between 
virtue  and  vice,  right  and  wrong;  then  there  is  a 
propriety  in  every  man's  judging  for  himfelf  in 
matters  of  morality  and  religion.  No  man  ought 
to  rely  upon  the  bare  opinion  of  others,  when  he 
is  capable  of  judging  for  himfelf,  according  to  an 
infallible  ftandard.  Right  and  wrong,  truth  and 
falfehood,  do  not  depend  upon  the  opinions  of  men, 
but  the  nature  of  things.  Every  perfon  ought^ 
therefore,  to  examine  every  moral  and  religious 
fubjeft  for  himfelf,  and  form  his  own  judgment, 
without  any  regard  to  the  authority  or  opinion  of 
others.  As  God  has  given  men  their  eyes,  to  dif- 
tinguifli  colors,  and  their  ears,  to  diftinguifh  founds; 
fo  he  has  given  them  their  reafon  and  confcience, 
to  diftinguifh  truth  and  falfehood,  right  and  wrong. 
And,  fo  long  as  they  enjoy  thefe  natural  and  mor- 
al powers,  they  are  under  moral  obligation,  to 
ufe  them  for  the  purpofes,  for  which  they  were 
given.  The  man  who  has  eyes  is  obliged  to  fee. 
The  man  who  has  ears  is  obliged  to  hear.  And 
the  man  who  has  reafon  and  confcience  is  oblisred 
to  examine  and  judge  for  himfelf,  in  matters  of  mo- 
rality and  religion.  It  is  no  lefs  the  duty  than  the 
right  of  every  man,  to  determine  for  himfelf,  what 
is  true  and  falfe  in  theory,  and  what  is  right  and 
^0W  K  wrong 


74 


SERMON     in. 


wrong  in  pra6lice.  As  others  have  no  right  to  irrr-* 
pofe  their  opinions  upon  him;  fo  he  has  no  right  ■ 
to  receive  their  opinions  upon  truft.  It  is  his  in- 
difpenfable  duty  to  embrace,  or  rejeft  all  moral 
and  religious  fentiments,  according  to  his  own  pri- 
vate judgment.  It  may  be  proper  and  neceffary, 
in  a  thoufand  cafes,  to  colleft  evidence  from  others; 
but  after  we  have  received  alt  the  information, 
which  they  are  able  to  give  us,  on  any  fubjeft,  it 
then  lies  upon  us,  to  form  our  own  opinions,  ac- 
cording to  evidence,  without  any  regard  to  the  au- 
thority, or  opinion  of  fallible  creatures.  There  is 
a  true  and  falfe  in  principle,  and  aright  and  wrong 
in  pra6lice,  which  we  are  obliged  to  difcovcr,  and 
according  to  which  we  are  obliged  to  believe  and 

aa. 

2. '  If  there  be  a  ftandard  of  right  and  wrong, 
in  the  nature  of  things ;  then  it  is  not  irapoflible 
to  arrive  at  ahjolute  certainty,  in  our  moral  and  re- 
ligious fentiments.  It  is  the  opinion  of  many,  that 
Vv'e  can  never  attain  to  certainty  in  any  thing,  but 
what  we  are  capable  of  demonftrating  by  figures, 
or  immediately  perceiving  by  our  external  fenfes. 
But  there  is  no  foundation  for  this  fuppofition,  if 
right  and  wrong,  truth  and  falfehood.  refult  from 
the  nature  of  things.  Many  fuppofe,  that  moral 
and  mathematical  fubje6ls  are  totally  diflPerent  in  re- 
fpcB  to  certainty.  They  imagine,  that  we  may  at- 
tain to  certainty  in  mathematics,  but  not  in  morals. 


SERMON       III. 


75 


But  if  moral  truths  as  much  refult  from  the  nature 
of  things  as  mathematical,  then  no  reafon  can  be  af- 
ligned,  why  we  may  not  arrive  at  certainty  in  mor- 
als as  well  as  in  mathematics.  For  we  are  as  capa- 
ble af  difcerning  what  is  right  and  wrong,  as  what 
is  true  and  falfe,  in  the  nature  of  things.  The  Au- 
thor of  nature  has  given  us  the  faculty  of  reafon, 
to  difcover  mathematical  truths,  and  the  faculty  of 
confcience,  to  difcover  moral  truths.  Our  con- 
fcience  as  plainly  and  as  certainly  tells  us,  that  mur- 
der is  a  crime,  as  our  reafon  does,  that  two  and 
two  are  equal  to  four.  And  it  is  as  much  out  of 
our  power  to  difbelieve  the  di6lates  of  our  con- 
fcience, as  the  diftates  of  our  reafon.  Hence  we  as 
ecrtainly  know  moral  and  religious,  as  mathematical 
and  philofophical  truths.  Certainty  in  mathemat- 
ics confifts  in  the  intuitive  perception  of  the  agree- 
ment or  difagreement  between  two  numbers.  And 
certainty  in  morals  Confifts  in  the  intuitive  percep- 
tion of  the  agreement  or  difagreement  between  the 
volitions  and  obligations  of  moral  agents.  It  jsas 
cafy,  therefore,  to  attain  certainty  in  morals  as  in 
mathematics.  There  are  plain  and  difficult  cafes 
in  both  fciences.  That  murder  is  a  crime  is  a  plain 
cafe  in  morals  j  and  that  three  and  three  are  fix,  is 
a  plain  cafe  in  mathematics.  But  there  are  diffi- 
cult queftions  in  morals,  and  no  lefs  difficult  queft- 
ions  in  mathematics.  The  difficult  and  doubtful 
cafes,  however,  are  no  evidence,  that  certainty  can- 
not 


^$  SERMON       IIL 

not  be  attained,  in  more  plain  and  praBical  cafes', 
and  this  is  all  that  we  mean  to  affert.  We  may  attain  m 
to  a  certain  knowledge  of  all  thofe  truths  in  moral- 
ity and  religion,  which  are  neceffary  to  direftus  in  * 
our  moral  and  religious  conduft.  And  fo  much 
certainty  we  ought  to  feek  after,  and  not  reft  fatif- 
fied  without  obtaining.  God  has  given  us  moral 
as  well  as  natural  powers ;  and  we  ought  to  employ 
our  moral  powers  in  feeking  after  moral  truth,  as 
much  as  we  employ  our  natural  powers  in  fearch- 
ing  after  either  mathematical,  philofophical,  met- 
aphyfical,  or  hiftorical  truth.  We  fliould  always 
endeavor  to  attain  to  certainty,  in  all  our  refearch- 
cs,  as  far  as  we  are  able  to  do  it ;  and  never  reft  in 
conjefture,  or  uncertainty,  only  when  certainty  is 
beyond  our  opportunities  and  capacities. 

3.  If  right  and  wrong  are  founded  in  the  nature 
of  things,  then  it  is  impoffible  for  any  man  to  be- 
come a  thorough  fceptic  in  morality  and  religion. 
Many,  who  profefs  to  believe  the  exiftence  and 
certainty  of  fenfible  objeBs,  yet  pretend  to  dif- 
believe  the  reality  of  virtue  and  vice,  or  the  differ- 
ence between  moral  good  and  moral  evil.  Thofe 
who  are  addrefied  in  our  text,  appear  to  have  been 
fuch  profefled  fceptics  in  matters  of  a  moral  and 
religious  nature.  But  it  is  as  truly  impoffible  for 
men  in  their  right  minds,  to  doubt  of  all  moral  and 
religious  truths,  as  to  doubt  of  their  own  e:kiftence, 
or  the  exiftence  of  the  objefts  of  fenfe,  with  which 


SERMON     III.  7y 

they  are  conftantly  furrounded.  For  they  are  as 
much  obliged  to  believe  their  mental,  as  their  bod- 
ily eyes.  When  their  bodily  eyes  are  open,  at  noon 
day,  and  a  piBure  is  prefented  before  them,  they 
are  obliged  to  fee  it,  and  believe  its  exiftence. 
So  when  their  eyes  are  open,  at  noon  day,  and  an 
a6l  of  barbarous  murder  is  committed  before  them, 
they  are  obliged  to  fee  and  believe,  not  only  the 
reality,  but  the  criminality  of  the  adion.  And  it 
is  no  more  within  their  power^to  doubt  of  the  crim- 
inality of  the  murderer,  than  of  the  death  of  the 
murdered.  Moral  objefts  as  irrefiftibly  obtrude 
upon  the  confcience,  as  vifible  objefts  do  upon 
the  eye.  And  a  man  can  no  more  avoid  feeing 
and  believing  moral  truths,  than  he  can  avoid  fee- 
ing natural  objefts,  when  both  are  placed  before 
his  mind,  with  equal  plainnefs.  Every  moral 
agent  is  conftrained  to  believe,  or  doubt,  accord- 
ing to  the  evidence,  which  he  perceives.  Doubt- 
ing as  much  depends  upon  evidence  as  believing. 
A  man  may  wifli  to  doubt,  when  it  is  out  of  his 
power  to  doubt ;  juft  as  he  may  wifh  to  believe, 
when  it  is  out  of  his  power  to  believe.  Believing 
and  doubting  are  always  governed  by  what  the 
mind  perceives  to  be  the  evidence  for  or  agaivjl 
any  truth  or  fa£l.  A  philofopher  may  tell  us, 
that  the  planets  are  inhabited ;  and  exhibit  fuch 
evidence  as  may  create  belief  in  feme,  and  doubt 
in  others.  But  if  he  {hould  pretend  to  tell  us  the 
ffffF  names 


^S  SERMON       Iir. 

names  and  numbers  of  the  planetary  inhabitant?,' 
could  he  gain  the  belief  of  a  fingle  perfon  ?  If 
men  could  believe  and  difbelieve  at  their  pleafure, 
then  they  might  as  eafily  believe  a  hiftory  writtei* 
in  this  vorld,  concerning  the  inhabitants  of  the 
planets,  as  a  hiftory  written  in  America,  concern- 
ing the  American  revolution;  or  they  might  as 
eafily  difbelieve  every  thing,  as  believe  any  thing. 
But  if  doubting  as  well  as  believing  depends  upon 
evidence,  then  no  man  can  doubt,  any  more  than 
he  can  believe,  without  evidence.  If  he  perceives 
no  evidence  againft  his  own  exiftence,  he  cannot 
doubt  of  his  own  exiftence.  If  he  perceives  no 
evidence  againft  the  exiftence  of  his  fellow  men,, 
he  cannot  doubt  of  their  exiftence.  If  he  per- 
ceives no  evidence  againft  the  exiftence  of  virtue 
and  vice,  he  cannot  doubt  of  their  exiftence.  But 
"who  can  perceive  any  evidence  againft  his  own 
exiftence  ?  Who  can  perceive  any  evidence 
againft  the  exiftence  of  his  fellow  men  ?  Who  can 
perceive  any  evidence  againft  the  exiftence  of  vir- 
tue and  vice  ?  And  therefore  who  can  be  a  thor- 
ough fceptic  in  matters  of  morality  and  religion  ? 
No  man  ever  was,  nor  ever  can  be,  a  thorough 
fceptic,  in  refpeft  to  religion  and  morality,  without 
being  a  thorough  fceptic,  in  refpe£l  to  all  the  ob- 
j&Ets  of  fenfe.  Religious  fcepticifm  is  religious 
hypocrify ;  and  the  man  who  profeftes  to  be  a  fcep- 
tic in  religion,  profelTcs  to  be  a  hypocrite.       ^^ 


SERMON     HI.  75 

4.  If  right  and  wrong,  truth  and  falfehood,  be 
"Jbunded  in  the  nature  of  things,  then  it  is  not  a 
matter  of  indifference  what  moral  and  religious 
fentiments  mankind  imbibe  and  maintain.  They 
are  obliged  to  judge  and  believe  according  to  evi- 
dence, and  if  they  do  otherwife,  they  are  chargea- 
ble with  guilt  before  God,  and  in  the  fight  of  their 
own  confciences.  God  has  given  them  evidence 
of  truth  and  falfehood.  in  the  nature  of  things,  and 
given  them  powers  and  faculties  to  diftinguifh  the 
one  from  the  other;  and  if  they  choofe  darknefs 
rather  than  light,  and  error  rather  than  truth,  they 
muft  anfwer  for  their  folly  and  guilt.  God  has 
diffufed  moral  light  over  the  face  of  the  creation, 
and  left  all  his  reafonable  creatures  without  excufe, 
if  they  either  doubt  or  difbelieve  his  exiftence. 
The  heathens  are  criminal  for  difbelieving  the  be- 
ing of  their  great  and  glorious  Creator.  They  are 
capable  of  feeing  the  mighty  evidences  of  his  eter- 
nal power  and  godhead,  and,  therefore,  they  are 
highly  criminal  for  fhutting  their  eyes  againft  the 
clear  light  of  the  divine  exiftence.  The  Mahom- 
etans are  capable  of  feeing  the  error,  and  fuperfti- 
tion,  and  idolatry,  which  are  contained  in  the  Ko- 
ran, and  therefore,  are  inexcufable  for  difbeliev- 
ing the  great  and  glorious  truths  which  are  clearly 
revealed  in  the  works  of  nature,  and  in  the  pure 
word  of  God,  which  their  falfe  teacher  corrupted 
erverted.     The  Papifts  are  highly  criminal 

for 


an^p 


So  SERMON      III. 

for  all  their  fuperftition  and  idolatry,  which  afc 
forbidden  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  And  the  De- 
lfts, who  deny  the  truth  and  divinity  of  the  Bible, 
are  guilty  of  ftill  greater  blindnefs  of  mind,  and 
obftinacy  of  heart,  in  diibelieving  the  teftimonyj 
which  God  hath  given  of  his  Son,  Nor  are  her- 
etics, who  corruplj  pervert,  and  deny  particular 
doQrines  of  divine  revelation,  excufable  in  the 
fight  of  God,  who  has  commanded  them  to  un- 
derftand,  believe,  and  love  the  truth.  However 
lightly  fome  may  think,  or  fpeak  of  errors  in  mo- 
rality and  religion,  it  is  a  matter  of  ferious  impor- 
tance, for  every  man  to  form  his  opinions  accord- 
ing to  the  nature  of  things,  and  the  revealed  will 
of  God.  Voluntary  ignorance  and  error,  will 
meet  with  the  divine  difpleafure,  at  the  great  and 
laft  day. 

5.  ■  If  right  and  wrong,  truth  and  falfehood,  be 
founded  in  the  nature  of  things,  then  there  appears 
to  be  a  great  propriety  in  God's  appointing  a  day 
of  judgment.  Such  a  day  appears  proper  and 
neceffary  on  the  account  of  the  moral  creation, 
God  has  no  occafion  for  it  on  his  own  account. 
He  always  knows  and  does  what  is  perfe6lly  right 
in  the  nature  of  things.  But  it  cannot  appear  to 
his  reafonable  creatures,  that  he  treats  them  all 
right,  without  his  laying  before  them  the  feelings 
and  aftions,  upon  which  he  regulates  his  conduQ. 
A  clear  and  full  exhibition  of  fa6ts,  at  the  great  day. 


SERMON       III.  Sx 

will  unfold  right  and  wrong,  with  refpeft  to  every 
being  in  the  univerfe.     It  will  unfold  the  reftitude 
of  God's   condu6l  in  every  inftance.     When  God 
tells  the  univerfe  how  he  has  treated  every  crea- 
ture, and  how  every  creature  has  treated  him  ;  ev- 
ery creature  will  be  capable  of  feeing  the  wifdora, 
the  goodnefs,  orjuftice  of  God,  in  all  his  conduct 
towards  men,  angels,  and  devils.     And  when  God 
lays  open  the  hearts  and  lives  of  all  his  creatures, 
they  will  then  be  capable  of  judging  who  ought  to 
go  to  heaven,   and  who  ought  to  go  to  bell ;  or 
who  ought  to  be  happy,  and  who  ought  to  be  mif- 
erable,  to  all  eternity.     Such  a  clear  and  full  ex- 
hibition of  faHs,  will  clear  the  innocent,  and  con- 
demn the  guilty,  in  the  minds  of  all  intelligent  be- 
ings.    And  from  the  day  of  judgment,  to  all  eter- 
nity, every  intelligent  being  will  poffefs  clear  light 
refpe£ling  himfelf,  his  God,  and  his  fellow  crea- 
tures.    This  will  give  an  emphafis  to  the  joys  of 
heaven,  and  the  miferies  of  hell,  and  ferve  as  bars 
and  bolts  to  fever  the  righteous  and  wicked,  to  in- 
terminable ages.     This  will  fhut  fear  out  of  hea- 
ven, and  hope  out  of  hell,  forever  and  ever. 

6.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  all 
who  go  to  heaven,  will  go  there  by  the  unani- 
mous voice  of  the  whole  univerfe.  They  will  be 
judged  to  be  fit  for  heaven,  by  God,  by  Chrift,  by 
angels,  by  devils,  by  the  finally  miferable,  and  by 
themfelves.  It  will  be  the  real  opinion  of  all,  af- 
L  ter 


tz  SERMON     III. 

ter  attending  the  procefs  of  the  great  day,  that 
eveiy  one,  who  fliall  have  received  the  approba- 
tion of  the  final  Judge,  fliould  be  exalted  to  the 
honors,  and  diflin6tions,  and  enjoyments  of  the 
heavenly  world,  and  there  forever  live  under  the 
fmiles  of  their  heavenly  Father.  And  fuch  a  clear 
and  decided  opinion  in  the  favor  of  the  bleffed, 
will  add  an  inconceivable  fatisfadion  to  their 
ifiinds  forever. 

7.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  all, 
who  are  excluded  from  heaven,  will  be  excluded 
from  it,  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  all  moral  beings. 
There  will  not  be  a  diiTenting  voice  in  the  dread- 
ful fentence,  "  Depart  ye  curfeJ  into  everlafting 
fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  All 
who  fhall  meet  with  the  difapprobation  of  the  fi- 
nal Judge,  will  equally  meet  with  the  difapproba- 
tion of  all  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  and  hell,  to- 
gether with  the  condemnation  of  their  own  en- 
lightened confciences.  It  will  appear  clearly  to 
the  view  of  the  univerfe,  that  all,  who  are  con- 
demned and  punilhed,  ought  to  be  condemned 
and  punifhed,  forever.  Not  one  who  is  loft,  will 
have  one  in  heaven  or  in  hell  to  take  his  part,  or 
complain  of  his  final  and  eternal  deftination.  And 
what  an  intolerable  weight  will  this  add  to  that 
great  and  endlefs  punifliment,  which  fhall  fall  up- 
on the  veffels  of  wrath,  who  are  fitted  for  deftruc- 

tion! 

This 


SERMON     III.  83 

This  fubje6l  now  admonifhes  all  thofe,  who  tri- 
fle with  moral  things,  and  make  a  mock  at  fin,  of 
their  extreme  guilt  and  danger.  "  Wo  unto  them 
that  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil ;  that  put  dark- 
nefs  for  light,  and  light  for  darknefs ;  that  put  bit- 
ter for  fweet,  and  fweet  for  bitter."  The  great 
day  of  light  is  coming,  which  will  diflipate  the 
mills  and  clouds,  in  which  ftupid  finners  have  con- 
cealed themfelves,  and  which  will  expofe  their 
ftupidity  and  guilt  both  to  themfelves,  and  to  the 
univerfe.  Then  erroneous  finners,  fecret  finners, 
fecure  finners,  and  fceptical  finners,  will  appear  to 
themfelves,  and  to  all  intelligent  beings,  in  all 
their  depravity,  folly,  and  guilt,  and  become  fwift 
witneffes  againft  themfelves,  that  they  have  deferv- 
ed  the  united,  and  eternal  difpleafure  of  the  whole 
univerfe.  Then  it  will  be  beyond  their  power  to 
trifle  with  right  and  wrong,  good  and  evil ;  or  to 
defpife  the  juft  and  awful  fentence,  which  will  fix 
them  in  endlefs  darknefs,  guilt,  and  defpair.  "  Wo 
unto  you  that  laugh  now  !  for  ye  fliall  mourn  and 
weep."  The  univerfal.  contempt  of  God,  of  an- 
gels, and  of  men,  will  be  more  than  your  wounded, 
guilty  fouls  can  endure.  "  A  man  may  fuftain  his 
infirmity  J  but  a  wounded  fpirit  who  can  bear!" 

SERMON 


SERMON     IV. 
On  the  Doftrine  of  the  Trinity. 

I    John   v,  7. 

For  there  are  three  that  hear  record  in  heaven^  the  Fa- 
ther^ the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghcjl :  and  theje  three 
are  one* 

1.N  treating  on  revealed  religion,  men 
liave  often  run  into  two  extremes.  Some  have 
been  fond  of  finding  myfteries  every  where  in  the 
Bibk  ;  while  others  have  been  equally  fond  of  ex- 
ploding all  myfteries  from  divine  revelation.  Here 
the  truth  feems  to  lie  in  the  medium.  Many  parts 
of  fcripture  are  plain  and  eafy  to  be  underftood; 
but  fome  parts  are  truly  myfterious,  and  furpafs 
the  utmoft  limits  of  human  comprehenfion.  Of 
all  religious  myfteries,  the  diftinftion  of  perfons 
in  the  Divine  Nature,  muft  be  allowed  to  be  the 
greateft.  Accordingly  upon  this  fubje6t,  there  has 
been  the  greateft  abfurdity  as  well   as  ingenuity, 

difplayed, 


85  SERMON       IV. 

difplayed,  in  attempting  to  explain  a  real  myftery. 
But  though  a  myftery  cannot  be  comprehended, 
nor  confequently  explained ;  yet  it  may  be  ftated, 
and  diftinguiflied  from  a  real  abfurdity.  And  this 
is  the  only  objeB;  of  the  prefent  difcourfe. 

The  words,  which  I  have  read,  plainly  repre- 
fent  the  Divine  Being  as  exifting  in  a  myfterious 
manner  ;  though  their  primary  intention  is,  to 
point  out  the  united  teftimony  of  each  perfon  in 
the  Godhead  to  the  divinity  of  Chrift.  "There 
are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father, 
the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghoft."  The  Father  tef- 
tified  to  the  divinity  of  Chrift  at  his  baptifm,  when 
he  declared  with  an  audible  voice  from  heaven, 
"This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleafed."  The  Holy  Ghoft  teftified  to  his  divin- 
ity at  the  fame  time,  by  "  defcending  upon  him  in 
the  form  of  a  dove."  And  Chrift  teftified  to  his 
own  divinity,  by  his  public  declarations  and  mir- 
aculous works.  "  And  ihefe  three  are  one  3"  that 
is,  one  God,  one  Divine  Being.  This,  indeed,  is 
a  profound  myftery,  which  calls  for  peculiar  pre- 
caution in  both  fpeaker  and  hearer,  left  the  one 
fliould  fay  or  the  other  receive  any  thing,  which 
fhould  be  derogatory  to  the  fupreme  and  incom- 

prehenfible  Jehovah. 

I  ftiall,  firft,  attempt  to  ftate  the  do6lrine  of  the 

Trinity  according  to  fcripture ;  and  then  endeav- 
or 


S  E   R    M   O    N      IV.  9f 

or  to  make  it  appear,  that  there  is  nothing  in  this 
dodrine,  which  is  repugnant  to  the  dictates  of 
found  reafon. 

I.  I  fhall  attempt  to  fhow  what  conceptions 
the  Scripture  leads  us  to  form  of  the  peculiar  mode 
of  the  divine  exiftence.    And  here  I  may  obferve, 

1.  The  Scripture  leads  us  to  conceive  of  God, 
the  firft  and  fupreme  Being,  as  exifting  in  three 
diftincl  perfons.  I  ufe  this  word,  becaufe  there 
appears  to  be  no  better,  in  our  language,  by  which 
to  exprefs  that  Trinity  in  unity,  which  is  peculiar 
to  the  one  living  and  true  God.  Indeed,  there  is 
no  word,  in  any  language,  which  can  convey  a 
precife  idea  of  this  incomprehenfible  diftinftion  in 
the  divine  nature ;  for  it  is  not  fimilar  to  any  oth- 
er diftinftion  in  the  minds  of  moral  beings.  So 
that  it  is  very  immaterial,  whether  we  ufe  the  name 
perfon,  or  any  other  name,  or  a  circumlocutiom 
inftead  of  a  name,  in  difcourfing  upon  this  fub- 
je6l.  Let  me  fay,  then,  the  one  living  and  true 
God  exifls  in  fuch  a  manner,  that  there  is  a  prop- 
er foundation  in  his  nature,  to  fpeak  of  himfelf,  in 
the  firft,  fecond,  and  third  perfon,  and  fay  I,  Thou, 
and  He,  meaning  only  Himfelf.  This  is  a  mode 
of  exiftence,  which  is  peculiar  to  the  firft  and  Su- 
preme Being.  No  created  being  can  properly 
fpeak  of  himfelf  in  any  other  than  the  firft  perfon,  I. 
Thou  and  He,  among  creatures,  denote  another 
being  as  well  as  another  perfon.     But  God  can, 

with 


8§  S   £    R    M   O    N      IV. 

with  propriety,  fay  I,  Thou,  and  Ke,  and  mean 
only  Himlelf.  There  is  a  certain  Something  in 
the  divine  Nature,  which  lays  a  proper  founda- 
tion for  fuch  aperfonal  diftin6lion.  But  what  that 
Something  is,  can  neither  be  defcribed,  nor  conceiv- 
ed. Here  lies  the  whole  myftery  of  the  Trinity. 
And  fince  this  myftery  cannot  be  comprehended, 
it  is  abfurd  to  borrow  any  fimilitudes  from  either 
matter,  or  fpirit,  or  from  both  united,  in  order  to 
explain  it.  All  the  illuftrations,  which  have  ever 
been  employed  upon  the  myfterious  mode  of  the 
divine  exiftence,  have  always  ferved  to  obfcure, 
rather  than  elucidate  the  fubjeft;  becaufe  there 
is  nothing  in  the  whole  circle  of  nature,  which 
bears  the  leaft  refemblance  of  three  perfons  in  one 
God. 

Some  have  fuppofed,  there  is  a  refemblance  be- 
tween this  doQrine  and  the  union  of  foul,  fpirit, 
and  body,  in  one  man.  But  allowing,  that  man  is 
made  up  of  thefe  three  conftituent  parts ;  yet  it  is 
eafy  to  perceive,  that  thefe  three  parts  make  but 
one  perfon,  as  well  as  one  man.  For  a  man,  fpeak- 
ing  of  himfelf,  cannot  fay,  thy  foul,  nor  his  foul ;  Ihy 
fpirit,  nor  his  fpirit  :  thy  body,  nor  his  body ;  but 
only  my  foul,  my  fpirit,  my  body.  The  fingle  man, 
who  is  compofed  of  foul,  fpirit,  and  body,  is  alfo  a 
fingle  perfon  ;  but  God  is  one  Being  in  three  per- 
fons. And  here  the  fimilitude  totally  fails  of  il- 
luftrating  the  principal  thing  intended. 

Some 


S   E   R    M    O    N      IV.  89 

Some  have  endeavored  to  illuftratethe  diftinc- 
tion  of  perfons  in  the  divine  Nature,  by  what  they 
call  the  cardinal  properties  of  the  foul ;  namely, 
underftanding,  will,  and  afFe6lions.  But  fuppof- 
ing  this  to  be  a  proper  analyfis  of  the  human  mind ; 
yet  the  fimilitude  drawn  from  it,  fails  in  the  fame 
refpefl,  that  the  former  did.  For  thefe  three 
properties  of  the  foul  are  not  pcrfonal  properties ; 
and  my  underftanding,  my  will,  my  affeBions,  are 
not  thine^  nor  his^  nor  any  fecond,  nor  third  per- 
fon's.  Hence  the  fimilitude  exhibits  no  illuftra- 
tion  of  three  diftinft  perfons,  in  the  one  undivid- 
ed effence  of  the  Deity. 

Some  would  confider  the  Father,  Son,  and  Ho- 
ly Ghoft  as  one  perfon  as  well  as  one  being,  afting 
in  three  diftinft  offices;  as  thofe  of  Creator,  Re- 
deemer, and  SanQifier.  And  this  idea  of  the  Trin- 
ity in  Unity,  they  would  illuftrate,  by  one  man's 
fuftaining  three  diftinft  offices;  fuch  as  Juftice, 
Senator,  and  Judge.  But  this,  like  every  other 
fimilitude,  only  ferves  to  fink  or  deftroy  the  fcrip- 
ture  doQrine  of  three  perfons  in  the  one  fupreme, 
felfexiftent  Being.  The  profound  myftery  of  the 
Trinity,  as  reprefented  in  Scripture,  neceflarily 
carries  in  it  a  diftinQion  of  perfons  in  the  divine 
Effence.  For  nothing  fhort  of  three  diftinft  per- 
fons in  the  one  undivided  Deity,  can  render  it 
proper  for  him  to  fpeak  of  Himfelf  in  the  firft,  fec- 
ond, and  third  perfon,  /,  Thou^  and  He,  Hence 
M  the 


90 


SERMON      IV. 


the  Scripture  reprefents  the  Father,  Son,  and  Hofy 
Ghoft,  as  diftinftly  pofTefTed  of  perfonal  proper- 
ties. The  Father  is  reprefented  as  being  able  to 
underftand,  to  will,  and  to  a6l,  of  himfelf.  The 
Son  is  reprefented  as  being  able  to  underftand,  to 
will,  and  to  a£l,  of  himfelf.  And  the  Holy  Ghoft 
is  reprefented  as  being  able  to  underftand,  to  -will 
and  to  aft,  of  himfelf.  According  to  thefe  repre- 
fentations,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft,  are 
three  diftin6i  perfons,  or  agents.  Accordingly, 
th^y  fpeak  to  and  of  each  other  as  fuch.  The 
Father  fpeaks  to  and  of  his  Son  as  a  diftinB;  per- 
fon.  "  Thou  art  my  Son  j  this  day  have  I  begot- 
ten thee."  Again,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleafed."  The  Son  fpeaks  to 
and  of  the  Father  as  a  diftinft  perfon.  '•  O  !  my 
Father,  if  it  be  poffible,  let  this  cup  pafs  from  me." 
Again,  "It  is  my  Father  that,  honoreth  me;  of 
whom  ye  fay  that  he  is  your  God."  The  Holy 
Ghoft:  fpeaks  of  the  Son  as  a  diftin£l  perfon.  "  As 
the  Holy  Ghoft  faith.  Today,  if  ye  will  hear  his 
voice,"  that  is  the  voice  of  Chrift,  "  harden  not 
your  hearts."  This  mode  of  fpeaking  plainly  fup- 
pofes,  that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft,  are 
three  diftind  perfons.  And  upon  this  ground,  the 
one  living  and  true  God  is  called  more  than  a  hun- 
dred times,  in  Scripture,  by  a  name  in  the  plural 
number.  But  God's  fpeaking  of  himfelf  in  the 
fame  manner,  carries  much   ftronger  evidence  of 

Iiis 


SERMON      IV.  9i 

his  exifting  a  Trinity  in  Unity.  Thus  we  read, 
"  God  faid,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after 
our  likenefs."  Again  we  read,  "  The  Lord  God 
faid,  The  man  U  become  as  one  of  z«s."  Again  we 
read,  "Go'to;  letwi  go  down,  and  there  confound 
their  language."  And  Ifaiah  fays,  "  I  heard  the 
voice  of  the  Lord,  faying,  Whom  (hall  I  fend,  and 
who  will  go  for  WJ  ?"  Thus  the  Scripture  leads  us 
to  conceive  of  the  one  living  and  true  God,  as  ex- 
ifting in  three  diftinft  perfons,  each  of  whom  is  pof- 
fefled  of  all  perfonal  properties,  and  is  able  to  un- 
derftand,  to  will,  and  to  a6l,  as  a  free,  voluntary, 
almighty  Agent.     Hence, 

2.  The  Scripture  reprefents  the  three  Perfons 
in  the  facred  Trinity,  as  abfolutely  equal  in  every 
divine  perfedion.  We  find  the  fame  names,  the 
fame  attributes,  and  the  fame  works  afcribed  to 
each  perfon.  Is  the  Father  called  God  ?  the  fame 
name  is  given  to  the  Son  and  Spirit.  Are  eterni- 
ty, omniprefence,  omnifcience,  and  omnipotence 
afcribed  to  the  Father?  the  fame  divine  attributes 
are  afcribed  to  the  Son  and  Spirit.  Is  the  Father 
reprefented  as  concerned  in  the  work  of  creation  ? 
the  Son  and  Spirit  are  reprefented  as  equally  con- 
cerned in  it.  Is  the  Father  to  be  honored  by  re- 
ligious worfiiip  >  fo  are  the  Son  and  Spirit.  All 
thefe  reprefentations  of  the  divinity  and  equality 
of  the  three  perfons  in  the  facred  Trinity  are  to 
be  found  in  the  Bible.  Befides,  this  clearly  ap- 
pears 


gt,  S   E    R    M   O    N      IV. 

pears  from  what  was  faid  under  the  firft  partic- 
ular. For  that  myfterious  Something  in  the  di- 
vine Nature,  which  lays  a  foundation  for  three 
perfons  in  the  one  living  and  true  God,  lays  an 
equal  foundation  for  their  abfolute  equality.  It  is 
as  neceffary,  that  each  perfon  in  the  Trinity  fhould 
be  equal,  as  that  each  perfon  fhould  exift.  For 
that,  which  is  the  ground  of  their  exiflence,  is  the 
ground  of  their  being  abfolutely  equal  in  every 
divine  perfe61ion. 

3.  The  Scripture  reprefents  the  three  equally 
divine  Perfons  in  the  Trinity,  as  afting  in  a  cer- 
tain Order,  in  the  work  of  redemption.  Though 
they  are  abfolutely  equal,  in  Nature  ;  yet  in  Of- 
fice, the  firft  perfon  is  fuperior  to  the  fecond,  and 
the  fecond  is  fuperior  to  the  third.  The  Father 
holds  the  office  of  Creator,  the  Son  the  office 
of  Redeemer,  and  the  Holy  Ghoft  the  office  of 
San6lifier.  The  Father  is  reprefented  as  fending 
the  Son,  and  the  Son  is  reprefented  as  fending  the 
Holy  Ghoft.  The  Son  a61s  in  fubordination  to  the 
Father ;  and  the  Spirit  a6ls  in  fubordination  to  the 
Son  and  Father  both.  It  is  the  di6late  of  wifdom, 
that  where  two  or  more  perfons  a6l  in  concert, 
that  they  Ihould  aft  in  Order.  The  three  equally 
divine  Perfons  a8:  in  concert  in  the  work  of  re- 
demption j  and  for  that  reafon,  they  a6l  in  Order, 
or  in  fubordination  one  to  another.  And  this  fu- 
periority  and  inferiority  of  Office  is  the  fole  foun- 
dation 


SERMON     IV. 


93 


Nation  of  all  that  nominal  inequality,  which  the  Scrip- 
ture repreTents  as  fubfifting  between  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft,  in  carrying  into  efFc6l  theif 
purpofes  of  grace. 

4.  The  Scripture  teaches  us,  that  each  of  the 
divine  Perfons  takes  his  peculiar  Name  from  the 
peculiar  office,  which  he  fuftains  in  the  Economy 
of  redemption.  Each  perfon  has  a  peculiar  name 
given  to  him  in  the  text.  "  There  are  three  that 
bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and*^ 
the  Holy  Ghoft."  The  firft  Perfon  afTumes  the 
name  of  Father,  becaufe  he  is  by  Office  the  Crea- 
tor, or  Author  of  all  things,  and  efpecially  of  the 
human  nature  of  Chrift.  The  fecond  Perfon  af- 
fumes  the  name  of  Son  and  Word,  by  virtue  of 
his  incarnation,  and  mediatorial  condu6l.  The  An- 
gel, who  predi6led  his  birth,  intimated  to  his  Mo- 
ther that  he  ffiould  be  called  the  Son  of  God,  on 
account  of  his  incarnation.  "  The  power  of  the 
Higheft  Ihall  overfhadow  thee  :  therefore  alfo  that 
holy  thing  which  ffiall  be  born  of  thee,  fliall  be  cal- 
led the  Son  of  God."  Chxift  is  called  the  Word, 
in  reference  to  his  mediatorial  condu6l.  His  great 
bufinefs  in  this  world  was  to  unfold  the  divine 
purpofes.  Hence  we  read,  in  the  firft  chapter  of 
John,  where  he  is  repeatedly  called  the  Word ; 
"  No  man  hath  feen  God  at  any  time ;  the  only 
begotten  Son  who  was  in  the  bofom  of  the  Father, 
he  hath  declared  him."     It  is  equally  evident,  that 

the 


54  SERMON       IV. 

the  third  Perfon  in  the  Trinity  is  called  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  on  account  of  his  peculiar  Office  as  Sanfti- 
fier.  No  other  reafon  can  be  affigned  for  his  hav- 
ing this  peculiar  name.  He  is  not  effentially  more 
holy  than  the  Father,  or  Son.  But  in  as  much  aj 
it  is  his  peculiar  office,  to  apply  the  redemption 
procured  by  Chrift,  by  renewing  the  hearts  of  fin- 
ners,  and  making  them  willing,  in  the  day  of  hii 
power,  to  embrace  the  offers  of  mercy,  he  may  be 
properly  called  the  Hvly  Ghoft. 

The  diftin6l  office,  which  each  Perfon  in  the 
facred  Trinity  fuftains,  in  carrying  on  the  work  of 
redemption,  lays  a  proper  foundation  for  the  dif- 
tin6l  and  peculiar  name  given  to  each  in  Scrip- 
ture. Nor  can  we  derive  thefe  names  from  any 
other  origin.  Though  there  be  a  foundation  in 
the  nature  of  the  Deity,  for  a  diftinOion  of  Per- 
fon? ;  yet  we  cannot  conceive,  that  there  is  the 
fame  foundation  in  his  nature,  for  calling  the  firft 
Perfon  Father,  the  fecond  Perfon  Son,  and  the 
third  Perfon  Holy  Ghoft.  Thefe  names  clearly 
appear  to  originate  from  the  work  of  redemption, 
and  probably  were  unknown  in  heaven,  until  the 
purpofes  of  grace  were  there  revealed.  It  is  certain, 
however,  that  they  cannot  be  fuppofed  to  be  de- 
rived from  any  original  difference  between  the 
three  Perfons  in  the  Godheadj  without  deftroying 
their  Equality,  and  of  confequence,  their  Divinity. 
I  may  add, 

5.  The 


3  E   R   M   O    N      IV. 


95 


5.    The  Scripture  reprefents  thefe  three  divine 
Perfons  as  One  God.     This  is    the  plain  language 
of  the  text.     "  There  are  three  that  bear  record 
in  heaven,   the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy 
Ghoft  :  and  thefe  three  are  one''     Our  Lord  clearly- 
taught  the  union  between  Himfelf  and  the  Father. 
He  aflerted,  that  he  dwelt  in  the  Father,  and  the 
Father  in  him.     And  he  faid  in  plain  terms,  "  I 
and  my  Father  are  one."    It  appears  from  the  light 
of  nature,  that  there  is  one  God  ;  and  it  appears  from 
the  light  of  divine  revelation,  that  there  is  hut  One. 
The  Holy  One  of  Ifrael  declares,  "  I  am  the  firft, 
and  I  am  the  laft  ;   and  befide  me  there  is  no  god. 
Is  there  a  god  befide  me  ?  yea,  there  is  no  god  :  I 
know  not  any."     If  there  be  but  One  God,  then 
it  necelTarily  follows,  that  the  Father,  Son.  and  Ho- 
ly Ghoft,  are  not  three  Gods^  but  only  three  Per- 
fons \n  one  felfexiftent,  independent,  eternal  Being. 
The  three  Perfons  are  not  one  Perfon,  but  one 
God.     Or  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft,  are 
three  in  refpc6l  to  their  perfonality,  and  but  one 
in  refpe6l  to  their  nature  and  eflence.    I  now  pro- 
ceed to  fliow, 

II.  That  this  Scriptural  account  of  the  myfte- 
rious  do6lrine  of  the  facred  Trinity,  is  not  repug- 
nant to  the  dilates  of  found  Reafon.  Thofe,  who 
dift^elieve,  that  God  cxifts  a  Trinity  in  Unity,  fup- 
pofe,  that  fuch  a  mode  of  exiftence  is  not  only 
above  reafon,  but  contrary  to  its  plaineft  di6tates. 

They 


c)6  S    E    R    M   O   N     IV. 

They  confider  the  do6lrine  of  three  Perfons  in  one 
God,  not  as  a  profound  myfteryjbut  as  a  grofs  ab- 
furdity.  And  it  muft  be  granted,  that  any  do6l- 
rine  is  abftird,  and  ought  to  be  exploded,  which  is 
really  contrary  to  the  dilates  of  found  reafon. 
The  only  wife  God  can  no  more  require  us  to  be- 
lieve that,  which  is  abfurd,  than  he  can  command 
us  to  do  that,  which  is  finful.  If  we  can  clearly 
perceive,  therefore,  that  there  is  a  real  abfurdity  in 
the  doclrine  of  the  Trinity,  we  ought  not  to  be- 
lieve it.  But,  perhaps,  if  we  candidly  attend  to 
what  may  be  faid,  under  this  head  of  difcourfe,  we 
fhall  be  convinced,  that  the  Scriptural  doftrine  of 
the  Trinity  is  no  abfurdity,  but  a  great  and  glori- 
ous myftery ;  which  lays  a  broad  and  folid  founda- 
tion, upon  which  we  may  fafely  build  our  hopes  of 
a  bleffed  immortality.  Here  it  may  be  proper  to 
obferve, 

1.  The  do6lrine  of  the  Trinity,  as  reprefented 
in  Scripture,  implies  no  contradiction.  Any  doc- 
trine, which  neceffarily  involves  a  contradiftion, 
is  repugnant  to  reafon,  and  demonftrably  falfe. 
For  it  is  out  of  the  power  of  the  human  mind  to 
conceive,  that  a  real  contradi6ion  fhould  be  true. 
We  cannot  conceive,  that  two  and  threfe  are  equal 
to  ten,  nor  that  ten  and  five  are  equal  to  twenty. 
We  cannot  conceive,  that  a  part  fhould  be  equal 
to  the  whole;  or  that  a  body  fhould  moveeaft 
and  wefl  at  the  fame  time.     As  foon  as  thefe  pro- 

pofitions 


S   E   R   M   Q   N       IV. 


97 


pofitions  are  underftood,  they  inftantly  appear  to 
be  plain  contradiftions.     And  did  the  do6lrine  of 
the  Trinity,  according  to  Scripture,  imply  that  three 
Perfons  are  one  Perfon,  or  three  Gods  are  one  God, 
it  would  neceffarily  involve  a  plain  contradiftion. 
But  the  Scripture  fpeaks  more  confiftently  upon 
this  fubje^i.     It  afferts,  that  there  is  but  one  God, 
and  yet  three  divine  Perfons.     This  only  implies, 
that  three  divine  Perfons  are  one  Cod;  and  who  can 
perceive  a  contradidion  in  this  reprefentation  of  a 
Trinity  in  Unity  ?     We  find  no  difficulty  in  con- 
ceiving of  three  divine  Perfons.     It  is  juft  as  eafy 
to  conceive  of  three  divine  perfons,  as  of  three  hu-^ 
man  perfons.     No  man,  perhaps,  ever  found  the 
leaft  difficulty,  in  conceiving  of  the   Father  as  a 
diftinft  Perfon  from  the  Son,  nor  in  conceiving  of 
the  Son  as  a  diftin6t   Perfon  from  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
nor  in  conceiving  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  as  a  diftinft 
Perfon  from  both  the  Father  and  Son.     But  the 
only  difficulty,  in  this  cafe,    lies   in   conceiving 
thefe  three  perfons  to  be  but  one.     And  it  is  evi- 
dent, that  no  man  can  conceive  three  divine  Per- 
fons to  be  one  divine  Perfon,  any  more  than  he 
can  conceive  three  Angels  to  be  but  one  Angel. 
But  it  does  not  hence  follow,  that  no  man  can 
conceive,  that  three  divine  Perfons  fhould  be  but 
one  divine  Being,     For,  if  we  only  fuppofe,  that 
Being  may  fignify  fomething  different  from  Per- 
fon, in  refpeft  to  Deity;  then  we  can  eafily  con- 
N  ceive 


98  S   E    R    M    O    N     IV. 

ceive,  that  God  fhould  be  but  one  Being,  and  yet 
exift  in  three  Perfons.  It  is  impoflible,  therefore, 
for  the  moft  difcerning  and  penetrating  mind,  to 
perceive  a  real  contradiction,  in  the  Scriptures  re- 
prefenting  the  one  living  and  true  God,  as  exifting 
in  three  diftin6l  Perfons.  There  may  be,  for 
aught  we  know,  an  incomprehenfible  Something 
in  the  One  felfexiftent  Being  which  lays  a  proper 
foundation  for  his  exijling  a  Trinity  in  Unity. 

2.  If  it  implies  no  contradi6lion,  that  the  one 
living  and  true  God  fhould  exift  in  three  Perfons, 
then  this  myfterious  mode  of  the  divine  exiftence 
is  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  found  reafon.  We 
cannot  fuppofe,  that  the  uncreated  Being  fhould 
exift  in  the  fame  manner,  in  which  we  and  other 
created  beings  exift.  And  if  he  exifts  in  a  different 
manner  from  created  beings,  then  his  mode  of  ex- 
iftence muft  neceffarily  be  myfterious.  As  crea- 
tures, we  muft  expeft  to  remain  forever  unac- 
quainted with  that  mode  of  exiftence,  which  is  pe- 
culiar to  the  great  Creator.  To  fuppofe,  that 
God  does  not  exift  in  a  manner  abfolutely  myjleri- 
ous  to  creatures,  is  virtually  to  deny  his  exiftence. 
And  if  his  exifting  a  Trinity  in  Unity  does  not  in- 
volve a  plain  contradiftion,  then  it  amounts  to  no 
more  than  3. profound  myjlery,  which  we  might  reafon- 
ably  expeft  to  find  in  his  mode  of  exiftence,  had  the 
Scripture  been  filent  upon  the  fubjeft.  Though, 
perhaps,  the  bare  unaffifted  power  of  reafon  would 

have 


SERMON      IV, 


99 


have  never  difcovered,  that  God  exifts  in  three 
Perfons ;  yet  fince  the  Scripture  has  revealed  this 
great  myftery  in  the  divine  exiftencc,  reafon  has 
nothing  to  obje6l  againft  it.  Reafon  can  fee  and 
acknowledge  a  myftery,  though  it  cannot  compre- 
hend it.  Hence  the  Scripture  doftrine,  that  the 
one  living  and  true  God  exifts  in  three  Perfons, 
is  as  agreeable  to  the  di6lates  of  found  reafon  as 
any  myftery  can  be,  or  as  any  other  account  of  the 
mode  of  the  divine  exiftence  could  have  been. 
If  the  Scripture  had  given  any  true  account  of  the 
mode  of  God's  exiftence,  that  mode  muft  have  ap- 
peared to  fuch  finite,  imperfe6t  creatures  as  we 
are,  truly  myfterious,  or  incomprehenfible.  And 
"whoever  now  objefts  againft  the  Scripture  account 
of  the  facred  Trinity,  would  have  equally  obje6l- 
ed  againft  any  other  account,  which  God  could 
have  given  of  his  peculiar  mode  of  exiftence.  I 
may  add, 

3.  The  doClrine  of  the  Trinity,  as  reprefented 
in  Scripture,  is  no  more  repugnant  to  the  dilates 
of  found  reafon,  than  many  other  doftrines,  which 
all  Chriftians  believe  concerning  God.  God  is 
truly  incomprehenfible  by  creatures.  ''  Canft 
thou  by  fearching  find  out  God  ?  canft  thou  find 
out  the  Almighty  unto  perfection  ?"  All,  who  be- 
lieve the  exiftence  of  the  Deity,  muft  believe  myf- 
teries,  which  no  human  underftanding  can  fathom. 
Here  permit  me  to  mention  feveral  things  refpeft- 


mg 


loo  SERMON      IV. 

ing  God,  which  are  commonly  believed,  and  which 
are  as  myfterious  as  his  exifling  in  three  Perfons. 
It  is  generally  believed,  that  God  is  2Lfelfexilicnt 
Being,  or  that  there  is  no  caufe  or  ground  ot  his 
exiftence  out  of  Himfelf.     But  who  can  explain 
this  mode  of  exiftence,  or  even  form  any  clear  con- 
ception of  it  ?  There  muft  be  fonie  ground  or  foun- 
dation of  God's  exiftence;  and  to  fay  that  this  is 
wholly  within   Himfelf,    is   to   fay   fomething,  of 
which  we  can  frame  no  clear,  or  diftin6l  idea.     It 
is  only  faying,  that  the  ground  of  God's  exiftence 
is  myfterious.     And  is  it  not  as  repugnant  to  the 
di6iates  of  found  reafon  to  fay,  that  the  ground  of 
God's  exiftence  is  myfterious,  as  to  fay  that  the 
ground  ofhisexifting  in  three  Perfons  is  myfteri- 
ous ?  Thefe  two  cafes  are  exaftly  parallel.     There 
is  a  certain  Something  in  the  divine  Being,  which 
renders  his  exiftence  abfolutely  neceflary.     This 
all  muft  believe,  who  believe,  that  God  exifts.    And 
fo   there   is  a  certain  Something   in  the  divine 
being,  which  renders  it  equally  neceftary,  that  he 
fliould  exift  in  three   Perfons.     It  is,  therefore, 
eafy  to  fee,  that  there  is  nothing  more  repugnant 
to  right  reafon,  in  the  do8rine  of  the  Trinity,  than 
in  the  doBrine  of  God's  felfexiftencc.     Again, 

It  is  generally  believed,  that  God  is  conftantly 
prefent  in  all  places,  or  that  his  prefence  perpetual- 
]y  fills  the  whole  created  univerfe.  But  can  we 
frame  any  clear  ideas  of  this  univerfal  prefence  of 

the 


S    E    R    M    O    N      IV.  ion 

the  Deity  ?  It  feems  to  be  repugnant  to  reafon,  to 
fuppofe  tbat  his  prefence  is  extended,  becaufe  exten- 
fion  appears  to  be  incompatible  with  the  nature  of 
a  pure  Spirit.  And  if  his  prefence  be  not  extend- 
ed, it  is  impoffible  for  us  to  conceive,  how  it  fhould 
reach  and  fill  all  places,  at  all  times.  The  mo- 
ment we  attentively  confider  the  univerfal  pref- 
ence of  the  fuprerae  Being,  we  are  involved  in  a 
myftery,  as  profound  as  that  of  three  Perfons  in 
one  God.     Once  more, 

It  is  generally  believed,  that  God  is  the  Creator, 
who  has  made  all  things  out  of  nothing.  But  it 
■was  a  maxim  with  the  antient  atheiftical  philofo- 
phers,  that  it  is  a  contradi6lion  to  fay,  that  God 
made  all  things  out  of  nothing ;  that  is,  without 
any  pre-exiftent  materials.  And  it  is  fuppofed  by 
many,  who  have  had  more  light  upon  this  fubjed, 
that  creation  is  no  more  than  an  emination  of  the 
Deity,  or  that  God  only  diffufes  his  own  exiftence 
in  giving  exiftence  to  other  beings.  Indeed,  a 
ftri6t  and  proper  creation  of  all  things  out  of  no- 
thing, has  appeared  to  many  great  and  learned 
men,  as  contrary  to  every  dictate  of  reafon.  They 
have  confidered  it,  not  merely  as  a  difficulty,  or 
myftery,  but  as  a  real  abfurdity.  And  whoever 
will  critically  attend  to  the  fubjeft,  will  probably 
find  it  as  difficult  to  reconcile  the  do6lrine  of  a 
ftrid  and  proper  creation  to  the  diftates  of  his  own 
reafon,  as  the  doQrine   of  three   Perfons  in  one 

God. 


102  SERMON      IV. 

God.  That  a  fountain  Ihould  be  diffufed  into 
ftreams,  or  the  whole  be  divided  into  parts,  is  ea- 
fy  to  conceive  ;  but  thefe  fimilitudes  do  not  touch 
the  cafe  of  a  ftricl  and  proper  creation.  For  in 
creation,  God  does  not  diffufe  himfelf ;  fince  cre- 
ated dbjefts  are  no  part  of  the  Deity :  nor  does 
he  divide  himfelf;  fince  the  Creator  is  not  capa- 
ble of  a  divifion  into  a  multiplicity  of  parts.  God 
neither  made  the  world  of  pre-exiftent  materials, 
nor  of  Himfelf;  but  he  made  it  out  of  nothing, 
that  is,  gave  it  a  proper  and  real  exiftence,  dif- 
tin6l  from  his  own.  Creation  is  the  efFe6l  of  no- 
thing but  mere  Power.  But  of  that  Power,  which 
is  able  to  create,  or  produce  fomething  out  of  no- 
thing, we  can  form  no  manner  of  conception.  This 
attribute  of  the  Deity,  therefore,  is  as  really  myf- 
terious  and  incomprehenfible,  in  its  operation,  as 
the  doftrine  of  the  Trinity.  Or  it  is  a  myftery, 
that  looks  as  much  like  an  abfurdity,  as  that  of  God's 
exiding  in  three  Perfons.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
do6lrine  of  the  Trinity,  as  reprefented  in  this  dif- 
courfe,  which  is  more  repugnant  to  the  diflates 
of  found  reafon,  than  the  do6lrine  of  a  ftri6t  and 
proper  creation,  the  doftrine  of  the  divine  omni- 
prefence,  or  even  the  do6liine  of  the  divine  exift- 
ence. And  we  muft  be  extremely  inconfiftent, 
if  we  believe  the  Being,  and  works  of  the  great 
Creator;  and,  at  the  fame  time,  difbelieve  that  he 

exifts 


S   E    R    M   O    N    IV.  103 

exifts  one  God  in  three  Perfons,  according  to  the 
general  reprefentation  of  the  facred  Scriptures. 

I  fhall  now  clofe  the  fubjeQ,  with  a  few  brief 
remarks. 

Remark  i. 

If  the  doQrine  of  the  facred  Trinity  has  been 
properly  ftated  in  this  difcourfe,  then  there  feems 
to  be  no  juft  foundation  for  the  do6lrine  of  the 
Eternal  Generation  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Eternal 
Proceffion  of  the  Holy  Ghoft.  Many  have  fup- 
pofed,  that  the  Son,  the  fecond  Perfon  in  the  Trin- 
ity, is,  in  fome  myfterious  manner,  begotten  of  the 
Father ;  and  the  Holy  Ghoft,  the  third  Perfon  in 
the  Trinity,  is,  in  the  fame  myfterious  manner, 
eternally  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  Son  both. 
They  found  this  opinion  upon  feveral  paffages  of 
Scripture,  which  I  have  not  time  to  confider;  but 
without  a  particular  confideration  of  them,  we 
may  fafely  conclude,  that  they  do  not  contain  fen- 
timents  fo  plainly  contrary  to  our  cleareft  appre- 
henfions.  To  fuppofe,  that  the  Son,  with  refpe^l 
to  his  divine  nature,  was  begotten  of  the  Father,, 
and  that  the  Holy  Ghoft  proceeded  from  the  con- 
currence of  the  Father  and  Son,  is  to  fuppofe,  that 
a  Trinity  of  Perfons  is  not  founded  in  the  divine 
Nature,  but  merely  in  the  divine  Will.  For,  on 
this  fuppofition,  if  the  Father  had  not  pleafed  to 

hep-et 


104  SERMON       IV. 

leget  the  Son,  and  the  Father  and  Son  had  noL 
pleafed  to  produce  the  Holy  Ghoft,  there  could 
have  been  no  Trinity  of  Perfons  in  the  Godhead. 
Befides,  this  opinion  fets  the  Son  as  far  below  the 
Father,  as  a  creature  is  below  the  Creator;  and 
fets  the  Holy  Ghoft  as  far  below  the  Son,  as  he  is 
below  the  Father,  or  rather  it  makes  the  Holy 
Ghoft  a  creature  of  a  creature!  There  are  no 
ideas,  which  we  can  affix  to  the  words,  beget  pro- 
duce^ or  proceed,  but  muft  involve  in  them  an  infi- 
nite Inequality  between  the  three  facred  Perfons 
in  the  adorable  Trinity.  On  this  ground,  we  feel 
conftrained  to  reje6l  the  QiQvndX  generation  oi  i\\Q 
Son,  and  the  titrwdX  procejfion  of  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
as  fuch  myfteries  as  cannot  be  diftinguifhed  from 
real  abfurdities,  and  as  fuch  do6lrines  as  ftrike  at 
the  fo.undation  of  the  true  doftrine  of  three  equal- 
ly divine  Perfons  in  one  God. 

Remark  2. 

The  doBrine  of  the  facred  Trinity,  as  reprefeni- 
ed  in  Scripture,  gives  us  a  clear  and  ftriking  view 
of  the  Allfufficiency  of  God.  Since  he  exifts  in 
three  equally  divine  Perfons,  there  is  a  permanent 
foundation  in  his  own  Nature,  for  the  moft  pure 
and  perfe6l  bleffedncfs.  Society  is  the  fource  of 
the  higheft  felicity.     And  that  fociety  affords  the 

greateft 


SERMON       IV.  105 

greateft  enjoyment,  which  is  compofed  of  per- 
fbns  of  the  fame  charafter,  of  the  fame  difpofition, 
of  the  fame  defigns,  and  of  the  fame  purfuits. 
The  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft,  who  are  three 
equally  divine  Perfons  in  the  one  living  and  true 
God,  are  perfectly  united  in  all  thefe  reipefts;  and 
therefore  God's  exifting  a  Trinity  in  Unity,  necef- 
farily  renders  him  the  allfufficient  fource  of  his  own 
mofl  perfeQ:  felicity.  We  cannot  conceive  of  any 
other  mode  of  exiftence  fo  abfolutely  perfe6l  and 
blefled.  Befides,  this  moft  perfe6:  and  blefled  mode 
of  God's  exiftence,  lays  the  only  poffible  founda- 
tion of  the  happinefs  of  his  finful  and  perifliing 
creatures.  If  the  God,  whom  we  had  offended, 
had  not  exilled  a  Trinity  in  Unity,  we  cannot  con- 
ceive how  he  could  have  formed  and  executed  the 
prefent  plan  of  our  redemption.  Had  there  been 
but  one  Perfon  in  the  Deity,  there  could  have 
been  no  Mediator  between  God  and  men.  But 
as  God  exifted  in  three  Perfons,  the  Father 
was  able  to  fend  his  Son  to  redeem  us,  and  his 
Spirit  to  fanBify  us,  and  make  us  meet  for  the  in- 
heritance of  the  faints  in  light.  Hence  we  are 
naturally  led  to  fee  and  admire  the  allfufEciency 
of  God,  which  ultimately  refults  from  his  exifting 
in  three  equally  divine  and  glorious  Perfons. 

O  Ri;MARK  g. 


loS  S   E   R    M   a   N      IV. 

Remark  3. 

What  has  been  faid,  in  this  difcourfe,  may  fhoW 
us  the  importance  of  underftanding  and  believing 
the  Scripture  doftrine  of  the  ever  blefled  Trinity. 
Unlefs  we  underftand  and  believe  this  great  and 
myfterious  dodrine,  it  will  be  extremely  difficult 
to  anfwer  the  obje8io"ns  of  the  Deifts  againft  the 
Bible,  which  plainly  feprefents  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghoft,  as  three  equally  divine  Perfons, 
and  yet  afferts  there  is  but  one  God.  And  this 
doQrine  is  fo  interwoven  with  the  whole  fcheme 
of  the  gofpel,  that  we  cannot  poffibly  explain  the 
great  work  of  Redemption,  in  a  clear  and  confifir- 
ent  manner,  without  adopting  and  believing  the 
perfonal  chara6lers  and  offices  of  the  three  divine 
Perfons  in  the  facred  Trinity.  This  is  evident 
from  the  peculiar  phrafeology  of  Scripture  ;  and 
no  lefs  evident  from  obfervation.  All  who  have 
exploded"  the  myftery  of  the  Trinity  from  the  Bi- 
ble, have  fiiaken,  if  not  deftroyed,  the  funda- 
mental doftrines  of  Chriftianity.  The  gofpel  is 
fo  abfolutely  and  obvioufly  founded  on  the  do8;- 
rine  of  three  Perfons  in  one  God,  that  whoever 
denies  this  great  and  fundamental  truth,  muft,  in 
order  to  be  confiftent,  deny  all  the  peculiarities, 
which  diftinguifli  revealed  religion  from  oiatiiraL 
And  if  this  be  true,  every  friend  of  divine  Reve- 
lation 


SERMON      IV, 


L07 


lation  muft  feel  the  importance  of  underftanding, 
believing,  and  maintaining  the  firfl  principle  of 
his  religion. 

Remark  4. 

The  joint  operations  of  the  ever  blefled  Trinity, 
!ay  a  foundation  for  the  moft  perfect  and  blefled 
Union,  among  all  holy  Beings.     Each  divine  Per- 
fon  bears  a  diftin8:  part  in  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion; and  each  will  be  infinitely  well  pleafed  with 
the  conduft  of  each.     They  will  mutually  rejoice 
in  the  great  good,  which  will  be  the  fruit  of  their 
united  exertions.     And  faints  and  angels  will  join 
in   their  communion.      There  will   be   the   fame 
Jcind  of  holy  union  and  communion  between  faints 
and  angels,  and  the  three  divine  Perfons  in  the 
facred  Trinity,  that  there  will  be  between  the  Fa- 
ther, Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft.     And  fuch  a  Union 
and  Communion  between  all  the  inhabitants  of  hea- 
ven, will  afford  the  moft  confummate  felicity.    This 
glorious  hope  and  profpeB;  Chrift  exhibited  before 
his  forrowful  difciples,  juft  before  he  left  them,  and 
afcended  to  his  Father  and  to  their  Father ;  to  his 
God  and  to  their  God.    His  words  are  memorable ; 
and  O  !   that  they  might  be  written  on  the  heart  of 
every  one  of  his  followers,  as  with  the  point  of  a 
diamond ;  and  become  a  perpetual   fource  of  di- 
vine confolation  and  fupport.      "  Neither  pray  I 
for  thefe  alone,  but  for  them  alfo  that  fliall  believe 

on 


loS  SERMON      IV. 

on  me  through  their  word.  That  they  all  may  be 
one  ;  as  thou  Father  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that 
ihey  aljo  may  be  one  in  wj ;  that  they  may  be  one^ 
even  as  we  are  one :  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me, 
that  they  may  be  made  ferfeH  in  one,''    Amen. 


SERMON 


SERMON     V. 

Affections  eflential  to  the  mor- 
al Perfedlion  of  the  Deity. 

— — XXX>0<X«®»«'S)»«Sl»X>:>::XXX' 

I  John   iv,  8. 

For  God  is  love. 

VV  HILE  Simonides  refided  at  the  court 
of  Syracufe,  the  king  had  the  curiofity  to  a&  him 
— ^What  is  God  ?  The  poet  defired  a  day  to  con- 
fider  the  queflion;  on  the  morrow  he  requefted 
two  days;  and  as  often  as  he  was  called  upon  for 
an  anfwerj  he  doubled  the  time.  At  length  the 
king  grew  impatient,  and  demanded  the  rcafon  of 
his  conduct.  It  is,  replied  Simonides,  becaufe 
the  more  I  confider  the  queftion,  the  more  ob- 
fcure  it  feems.  Though  creatures  cannot  com- 
prehend the  effence  of  their  Creator,  yet  they  may 
form  feme  clear  and  juft  conceptions  of  his  great 
and    amiable  attributes.      The  text  exhibits  the 

brighteft 


110  SERMON      V. 

brighteft  part  of  his   chara£ler.     « God  is  love." 
This  is  a  juft  and  full  defcription  of  his  moral  per- 
feftions.     His  holinefs,  juftice,  goodnefs,  and  mer- 
cy, are  but  fo  many  modifications  of  divine  love. 
But  in  order  to  underftand  the  full  import  of  the 
text,  we  muft  ftill  further  inquire,  what  is  meant 
by  love,  when  afcribed  to  an  abfolutely  perfe6t 
and  immutable  Being.     Here  analogy  is  our  only 
guide.     We  are  obliged,  in  this  cafe,  to  reafon 
from  love  in  man  to  love  in  the  Deity.     We  all 
know,  by  experience,  that  love  belongs  to  the  heart, 
and  not  to  the  intdleH.     This  naturally  leads  us  to 
conclude,  that  love  in  the  Deity  denotes  a  morale 
and  not  an  intelkBual  exercife,  or  that  it  belongs 
to  h:s.s. heart,  and  not  to  his  underjlanding.     Hence 
the  declaration  in  t"he  text,  that  God  is  love,  plainly 
fuppofes,  that  God  is  pofiVffed  of  AfFe6:ions. 
Thi^  do6lrine  needs  both  illuftration  and  proof. 
Many  fuppofe,  that  allpropenfities,  inclinations, 
difpofitions,  or  afFe6lions,  are   incompatible  with 
the  perfe6lion  of  the  divine  nature.    Some  eminent 
divines,  as  well   as  metaphyficians,  maintain  this 
opinion ;    in  which  they  feem  to  approach  nearer 
to  the  fentiments  of  Epicurus,  than  to  thofe  of  the 
facred  Writers.     Epicurus  faid,  "  The  Deity  could 
neither  be  influenced  hy  favor,  nor  refentment;  be- 
caufe  fach  a  being  muft  be  weak  and  frail :  and 
alfo,  that  all  fear  of  the  power  and  anger  of  God 
fhould  be  banifhed,  becaufe  anger  and  offcHion  are 

inconfiftent 


S    £   R    M    O    N      V.  21* 

iticonfiftent  with  the  nature  of  a  happy  and  immor- 
tal Being."  But  in  direft  oppofition  to  this  fenti- 
ment,  our  doftrine  afferts,  that  God  has  real  and 
proper  affeftions ;  that  he  is  pleafed  with  fome  ob- 
jefts,  and  difpleafed  with  others ;  that  he  feels  and 
exercifes  love,  pity,  compaffion,  and  every  af- 
feBion  which  can  flow  from  perfeft  benevolence. 
It  muft,  however,  be  obferved,  that  God  is  a 
pure  Spirit,  who  has  no  afFe6lions,  which  refem- 
ble  thofe  bodily  inftin6ls  and  paflions,  which  arc 
to  be  found  in  the  prefent  ftate  of  human  nature. 
The  belt  of  men,  here  on  earth,  carry  about  with 
them  fome  remains  of  felfifhnefs,  pride,  envy,  and 
other  fmful  paffions.  But  God  is  perfeB:  love, 
and  all  his  affedions  are  pure  and  clear  as  the 
cryftal  ftream.  There  is  a  foundation  for  fear, 
and  faith,  and  hope,  and  confidence,  in  the  very 
nature  of  finite,  dependent  beings  j  but  there  is  no 
foundation  for  thefe  affe£lions  in  the  Supreme 
Being,  whofe  power  and  knowledge  are  independ- 
ent and  unlimited.  God  is  infinitely  above  all 
inftin6ls,  palTions,  or  affeftions,  which  proceed 
from  either  natural  or  moral  imperfe61ion.  Thefe, 
therefore,  we  ought  never  to  afcribe  to  the  Deity. 

Having  briefly  explained  the  do6lrine  of  divine 
affeftions,  I  proceed  to  offer  feveral  confidera- 
tions  in  fupport  of  it. 

1.  Benevolent  affeftions  form  the  moral  beau- 
ty of  the  divine  character.     God  is  love.     In  this 

alone 


jia  S   E   R    M   O   N    V. 

alone  confifts  his  moral  excellence.  His  indepen* 
dence,  almighty  power,  and  unerring  wifdom,  are 
mere  natural  perfe6lions  ;  but  his  benevolent 
feelings  are  moral  beauties.  Benevolence  ap- 
pears virtuous  and  amiable  in  any  moral  agent. 
It  is  the  higheft  ornament  of  angels  and  men,  and 
the  fupreme  glory  of  the  fupreme  Being.  No 
natural  excellencies  can  fupply  the  place  of  be- 
nevolent feelings.  This  clearly  appears  in  the 
cafe  of  the  fallen  angels.  They  ftill  retain  all  the 
noble  powers  and  faculties,  with  which  they  were 
created  ;  but  having  loft  their  original  benevolent 
feelings,  they  are  become  the  moft  odious  and  de- 
teftable  creatures  in  the  univerfe.  And  could  we 
only  fuppofe,  that  the  divine  being  Were  totally  di- 
^'•efted  of  all  thefe  affeflions,  which  flow  from  uni- 
verfal  benevolence,  we  could  not  difcover  a  fingle 
trait  of  moral  beauty  in  his  moral  character.  A 
malevolent  being  of  infinite  power  and  knowl- 
edge, would  appear  infinitely  odious  and  terrible. 
And  only  take  away  all  benevolent  feelings  from 
the  Deity,  and  he  would  neceffarily  appear  in  this 
light,  to  all  intelligent  creatures.  We  have,  there- 
fore, juft  as  much  reafon  to  believe,  that  God  is 
poflefled  of  affe6lions,  as  we  have,  that  he  is  pof- 
-felfed  of  any  moral  beauty  or  excellence. 

2.  Men  are  required  to  imitate  their  heavenly 
Father.  This  plainly  fuppofes,  that  there  is  fome- 
thingin  the  kind  Parent  of  the  univerfe,  wjiich  may 

be 


SERMON      V. 


1^3 


be  imilated.  But  the  power,  wifdom,  and  all  the 
natural  perfedions  of  the  Deity,  are  above  imita- 
tion. There  is  nothing  in  the  nature  of  God, 
which  any  of  his  creatures  can  imitate,  except  his 
benevolent  feelings.  Thefe  are  imitable,  and 
thefe  he  calls  upon  mankind  to  imitate.  "  Be  ye 
holy  ;  for  I  am  holy."  Agreeably  to  this,  the  Apof- 
tle  fays,  "Be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender-heart- 
ed, forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God  for  Chrill's 
fake  hath  forgiven  you.  Be  ye  therefore  followers 
•of  God,  as  dear  children."  Our  Saviour  alfo 
ftrongly  inculcates  the  fame  duty.  "  Ye  have  heard 
that  it  hath  been  faid.  Thou  fiialt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor, and  hate  thine  enemy.  But  I  fay  unto  you. 
Love  your  enemies,  blefs  them  that  curfe  you,  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  that 
defpitefully  ufe  you,  and.perfecute  you  :  That  yoii 
may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  who  is  in  heav- 
en ;  for  he  maketh  his  fun  to  rife  on  the  evil  and 
on  the  good,  and  fendeth  rain  on  the  juft  and  on 
the  unjuft.  For  if  ye  love  them  who  love  you, 
what  reward  have  ye  ?  do  not  even  the  publicans 
the  fame  ?  Be  ye  therefore  perfe6l,  even  as  your 
Father  in  heaven  is  perfed."  Here  Chrift  firft  re- 
quires  men  to  imitu((pBod,  and  then  points  out  the 
proper  way  to  imitate  him ;  which  is  to  feel  as  he 
feels,  or  to  exercife  the  fame  tender  and  benevo- 
lent afFeftions,  which  he  exercifes  in  the  courfe  of 
his  common  providence.  It  appears,  therefore, 
JP  from 


,14  '    S    E    R    M   O   N    V. 

from  both  the  nature  and  expofition,  of  thrs  di- 
vine  command,  that  true  and  proper  affeftions  do- 
really  exift  in  die  divine  naind.     Befides, 

3.    The  Scriptures  afcribe  affeftions  to  God  in 
the  moft  plain  and  unequivocal  terms.     We  often 
read  of  the  heai'i  of  God,  which  means  neither  his 
power,  nor  wifdom,  nor  anj  natural  perfe8:ion,  but 
his  kind  and   benevolent  feelings.      This  is   the 
proper  fenfe  of  the  word  heart,  and  in  this  fenfe 
God  ufes  it  in  application  to  himfelf.     "  How  fhall 
I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim  ?  How  fliall  I  deliver  thee^ 
Ifrael?' How  fhall  I  make   thee  as  Admah  ?  How 
fliall  I  fet  thee  as  Zeboim  ?   Mine  heart  is  turned 
within  me,  my  repentings  are  kindled  together." 
The  Scripture  often  fpeaks  of  God's  being  pleafcd 
and  delighted;    which  plainly  fuppofes,  that  he  is 
pofTeffed  of  affeftions,  which  are  the  higheft  fource 
of  mental  enjoyment.     We  read,  "  The  Lord /c?^- 
etk  pleafure  in  them  that  fear  him.**     We  are  told, 
«  The  prayer  of  the  upright  is  his  delight''     And 
God  himfelf  declared  by  a  voice  from  heaven  at 
the  baptifm  of  Chrift,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son, 
in  whom  I  am  well pleafed"     Thefe  reprefentations 
are  agreeable  to  our  natural  conception  of  him, 
who  is  God  over  all  hkjfed  forever.     We  further- 
more find  a  great  variety  of  particular  afFe6Hons 
afcribed  to  the  Deity.     To  him  is  afcribed /ozf<f ; 
'*  God  is  love."     To  him  is  afcribed  jojv ;    "The 
Lord  thy  God  in  the  midft  of  thee  is  mighty :  he 

will 


S    E    R    M    O    N      V.  115 

will  fave  thee,  he  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy.'* 
To  him  is  afcribed  pity :  "  Like  as  a  father  pitieth 
his  children,  fo  the   Lord  pitieth  them    that  fear 
him."     To  him  is  afcribed  zeal :  "  The  zeal  of  th6 
Lord  of  hofts  will  do  this."     To  him  is  afcribed 
unger :  "The  Lord  is  ^n^ry  with  the  wicked  every 
day."     To  him  is  afcribed  vengeance  :  "  Vengeance  is 
mine,  I  will  repay,  faith  the  Lord."     In  a  word, 
we  find  every  virtuous  affe6lion,  that  is,  every  af- 
fedion,  which  can  flow  from  pure  benevolence, 
afcribed  to  God  in  Scripture.     It  appears,   there- 
fore, from  revelation  as  well  as  from  reafon,  that 
God  is  poffefTed  of  affeBions.     But  notwithfland- 
ing  the  plain  and  pofitive  evidence  in  favor  of  this 
doctrine,  it  may  be  proper  to  take  notice  of  fome 
things,  which  may  be  faid  againft  it. 

1.  It  may  be  faid,  that  the  paflages,  which  af- 
cribe  affedions  to  God,  are  figurative,  and  ought 
not  to  be  taken  in  a  literal  fenfe. 

This  obje6lion  is  more  fpecious  than  folid.  We 
are  never  to  depart  from  the  literal  fenfe  of  Scrip- 
ture, without  fome  apparent  neceffiiy.  If  any 
paffagc  will  bear  a  literal  fenfe,  we  ought  to  take  it 
literally,  unlefs  the  nature  of  the  fubje6l,  or  the 
connexion  of  the  words,  or  fome  other  texts  of 
Scripture,  require  a  figurative  meaning.  When 
God  is  reprefented  as  having  bodily  members, 
fuch  as  eyes,  ears,  hands,  or  feet,  the  dilates  of 
reafon  and  the  general  tenor  of  Scripture  oblige 

us 


ii5  SERMON     V. 

us  to  underftand  the  cxprellions  in  a  figurative 
fenfe.  But  when  God  is  faid  to  have  love,  joy, 
pity,  and  all  other  benevolent  afFeflions,  there  is 
no  occafion  of  departing  from  the  plain  and  liter- 
al fenfe  of  the  words.  For,  fuch  afFe6lions  are 
neither  contrary  to  the  nature  of  things,  nor  to 
the  nature  and  chara£ler  of  an  abfolutely  perfeft 
Being.  By  all  the  juft  rules  of  interpretation,  there<- 
fore,  we  are  conftrained  to  underftand  the  para- 
ges, which  afcribeafFe£lions  to  God,  in  their  plain, 
obvious,  literal  fenfe. 

^.  It  may  be  faid,  that  affeflions  are  painful, 
and  confequently  cannot  belong  to  God,  who  is 
perfe6lly  happy. 

It  is  true,  afFeBions  are  always  painful,  when 
they  cannot  be  gratified  j  and  this  is  often  the  cafe 
among  mankind.  Sometimes  their  afFe61ions  give 
them  pain,  becaufe  they  want  power  to  attain  the 
obje6ls  of  their  defire  ;  and  fometimes  becaufe 
their  defires  are  fo  felfifh  and  inconfiftent,  that  if 
they  gratify  one  of  their  afFeftions,  they  muft  necef- 
farily  mortify  another.  But  fince  all  the  affeflions 
of  the  Deity  are  only  different  modifications  of 
pure,  difmtereflcd  benevolence,  they  admit  of  a 
conftant  and  perfe6l  gratification;  and  fince  he  is 
able  with  infinite  eafe  to  attain  every  defirable  ob^ 
jie8,  his  afFc6lions  are  always  gratified,  and  always 
afford  him  a  fourcc  of  complete  and  permanent  fe- 
licity.    But, 

3-  It 


S    E   R    M    O    N      V.  117 

.  3.  It  maybe  aflced  "  How  is  this  notion  of  di- 
vine affe6lions  compatible  with  that  perfefl  immu- 
tability and  fimplicity,  which  all  divines  afcribe  to 
the  Deity  ?  By  the  fame  a6l.  fay  they,  he  fees  the 
paft,  prefent,  and  future.  His  love  and  hatred, 
his  mercy  and  jufticcjare  one  individual  operation. 
He  is  entire  in  every  point  of  fpace;  and  com- 
plete in  every  inftant  of  duration.  No  fucceffion, 
no  change,  no  acquifition,  no  diminution.  What 
he  is  implies  not  jn  it  any  fhadow  of  diftinflion  or 
diverfity." 

The  fubtil  obje£lor  himfelf  gives  the  following 
reply:  "Though  it  be  allowed,  that  Deity  poffef- 
fes  attributes  of  which  we  have  no  conception; 
yet  ought  we  never  to  afcribe  to  him  any  attributes, 
which  are  abfolutely  incompatible  with  that  intel- 
ligent nature  effential  to  him.  A  mind,  whofe  aQs 
and  fentiments  and  ideas  are  not  diftinfl  and  fuc- 
ceffive ;  one,  that  is  wholly  fimple,  and  totally  im- 
mutable ;  is  a  mind,  which  has  no  thought,  no 
reafon,  no  m\\,  no  fentiment,  no  love,  no  hatred ; 
or,  in  a  word,  is  no'mind  at  all.  It  is  an  abufe  of 
terms  to  give  it  that  appellation;  and  we  may  as 
well  fpeak  of  limited  extenfion  without  figure,  or 
of  numbers  without  compofition."  Whatever  this 
author  might  have  intended  by  this  anfwer,  it  ap- 
pears very  pertinent  and  conclufive. 

But  we  may  further  obferve  here,  that  there  is  a 
plain  diftinSlion  between  fuch  a  mutability  as  does, 

and 


iiS  SERMON      V, 

and  fuch  a  mutability  as  does  not,  imply  imperfec- 
tion. If  God  were  to  change  his  purpofes  or  de- 
lignsj  this  would  be  a  blemifh  in  his  character  ;  be- 
caufe  this  would  imply  a  want  of  either  power,  or 
wifdom,  or  goodnefs.  And  if  he  fhould  change 
his  afFeftions  without  any  change  in  the  objeft  of 
them,  this  would  alfo  difcover  imperfeBion,  and 
prove  that  his  afFe6lions  were  wrong  either  before, 
or  after  he  changed  them.  If  a  man  fhould  love  a 
perfon  to  day  and  hate  him  to  morrow,  or  if  he 
ihould  hate  a  perfon  to  day  and  love  him  to  mor- 
row, without  any  alteration  in  the  perfon's  charac- 
ter, this  would  manifeft  a  fickle  and  finful  difpofi- 
tion.  But  God  is  fubje6l  to  no  fuch  mutability  as 
has  been  mentioned.  He  never  changes  his  pur- 
pofes or  defigns ;  becaufe  thefe  were  formed  un- 
der the  influence  of  perfe8;  goodnefs  and  unerring 
wifdom,.  Nor  does  he  ever  change  his  affeftions, 
unlefs  the  objetls  of  them  change  ;  and  in  that  cafe 
to  change  his  afFe6lions  argues  no  imperfeftion. 
If  a  man,  who  was  a  finner  yefterday,  becomes  a 
faint  to  day,  it  implies  no  imperfeftion  in  God  to 
change  his  affe6lions  towards  that  perfon,  and  love 
him  to  day,  whom  he  abhorred  yefterday.  The 
doftrine  of  divine  affeftions,  therefore,  fuppofeg 
no  mutability  in  the  Supreme  Being,  but  what  is  a 
beauty  and  perfection  in  his  charaQer. 

IMPROVEMENT, 


SERMON       V.  U9 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  This  fubje6l  may  give  us  fome  faint  concep- 
tion of  the  ftrength  and  ardency  of  the  divine  affec- 
tions. God  is  infinite  in  all  his  attributes.  His 
moral  perfeflions  bear  a  juft  proportion  to  his  nat- 
ural. All  his  feelings  are  infinitely  ftrong.  His 
iove  is  omnipotent  love  ;  his  "wrath  is  omnipotent 
wrath.  The  infpired  writers,  therefore,  feize  the 
boldeft  images  in  nature,  to  difplay  the  beauty, 
and  ftrength,  and  terror,  of  the  divine  affe6lions. 

By  the  love  of  the  bridegroom  to  the  bride, 
they  reprefent  the  love  of  God  to  his  people.  "  As 
the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  fo  Ihall 
thy  God  rejoice  over  thee."  By  the  pity  of  a  fa- 
ther to  his  children,  they  reprefent  the  pity  of  God 
to  the  afflided.  "  As  a  father  pitieth  his  children, 
fo  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear  him."  By  the 
fondnefs  of  a  mother  for  the  infant  of  her  womb, 
they  reprefent  the  compaffion  of  God  to  his  church. 
"  Can  a  woman  forget  her  fucking  child,  that  file 
fhould  not  have  compaffion  on  the  fon  of  her 
womb  ?  Yea,  they  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  for- 
get thee."  How  terrible  is  the  wrath  of  the  furi- 
ous beafts  of  prey  ?  Yet  their  wrath  is  but  a  faint 
image  of  the  fiercenefs  of  the  wrath  of  almighty 
God  to  the  wicked.  "Therefore  I  will  be  unto 
them,  faith  the  Lord,  as  a  lion  :  as  a  leopard  by  the 
way  will  I  obferve  them.     I  will  meet  them  as  a 

bear 


120  SERMON      V. 

bear  bereaved  of  her  whelps,  and  I  will  rend  the 
caul  of  their  hearts,  arid  there  will  I  devour  them 
like  a  lion."  God  loves  and  hates  with  all  his 
heart,  with  all  his  mind,  and  with  all  his  ftrength. 
There  is  fomething  infinitely  amiable  and  awful  in 
the  divine  afFeftions. 

2.  In  the  view  of  this  fubje8:  we  may  difcover 
what  it  was,  which  moved  God  to  the  work  of  cre- 
ation. It  is  generally  and  juftly  fuppofed,  that 
God  was  perfetlly  bleffed  in  the  enjoyment  of  hira- 
felf  from  all  eternity  j  but  perfe6l  bleflednefs  feems 
to  exclude  all  motive  to  a6iion*  Why  Ihould  a 
being  move,  who  has  nothing  to  gain  by  moving? 
Why  fhould  a  being  aft,  who  has  nothing  to  gain 
by  ading  ?  Why  fliould  a  being  exert  himfelf,  who 
has  nothing  to  gain  by  his  exertions  ?  What,  then, 
could  move  God,  who  was  perfe6lly  happy  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  to  bring  it  into  exift- 
ence  ?  This  difficulty  will  immediately  vanifh,  if  wc 
only  confider  the  fource  of  the  divine  bleffednefs. 
God  is  love,  and  all  his  happinefs  flows  from  the 
perfeft  gratification  of  all  his  benevolent  feelings, 
liut  thefe  could  never  have  been  completely  grati- 
fied, without  difplaying  all  his  perfeftions  in  the 
work  of  creation.  God  being  from  eternity  all  fuf- 
ficient  and  infinitely  benevolent,  muft  have  had 
an  infinitely  ftrong  propenfity  to  exert  his  omnip- 
otent power  in  the  production  of  holinefsand  hap- 
pinefs.    Hence  it  was  morally  impoffible,  that  he 

fliould 


S   E    R    M   O    N      VI.  121 

fhould  have  been  perfe6lly  bleffed,  without  devif- 
ing  and  performing  the  work  of  creation.  The 
do6lrine  of  divine  aifedions,  therefore,  clearly 
fliows  us  not  only,  that  God  might  have  had  fom& 
motive  to  create  the  world,  but  alfo,  that  his  oXvn 
enjoyment,  felicity,  or  bleffednefs,  was  that  motive, 

3.  It  appears  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  God 
is  pleafed  with  the  exiftence  of  every  thing,  which 
takes  place  in  the  univerfe.  His  heart  is  in  all  his 
works.  He  feels  interefted  in  all  events.  And  we 
know,  that  the  ftronger  the  aiFe61ions  of  any  being 
are,  the  more  pain  and  diftrefs  he  feels,  whenever 
they  are  crofled  or  difappointed.  If,  therefore,  all 
things  do  not  take  place,  juft  as  the  Deity  defired 
and  intended,  his  infinitely  ftrong  defires  and  af- 
fe£lions  are  deeply  wounded.  But  it  is  the  univer- 
fal  voice  of  Scripture,  as  w^ell  as  the  diftate  of  rea- 
fon,  that  God  is  infinitely  above  the  reach  of  pain, 
and  enjoys  the  moft  perfeQ:  and  permanent  felicity. 
Though,  therefore,  there  are  ten  thoufand  things 
conftantly  taking  place  in  the  world,  which  are  in 
their  own  nature  difagreeable  to  the  Deity ;  yet 
there  never  did,  and  never  will  one  fingle  event 
exift,  which,  all  things  conlidered,  he  did  not 
choofe  and  intend  (hould  actually  exift. 

4.  This  fubjc6t  fuggefts  matter  of  great  confola- 
tion  to  thofe,  who  are  interefted  in  the  divine  fa- 
vor. God  hath  fet  them  as  a  feal  upon  his  heart, 
and  as  a  feal  upon  his  arip.     Though  their  love 

Q  may 


ji22 


SERMON      V. 


may  wax  cold,  yet  his  love  vill  never  ceafc  ; 
though  they  may  forget  him,  yet  he  will  never  for- 
get them.  He  will  keep  them  in  the  hollow  of 
his  hand,  and  guard  them  as  the  apple  of  his  eye» 
He  will  caufe  all  things  to  work  together  for  their 
jTjood.  He  will  raife  them  as  high  in  holinefs  and 
happinefs,  as  infinite  power,  wifdom,  and  goodnefs 
can  raife  them.  With  what  joy  and  tranfport,  there- 
fore, may  they  look  up  to  God  and  fay,  "  Whom 
have  we  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none 
upon  earth  that  we  defire  befide  thee.  Thy  favor  is 
life ;  and  thy  loving  kindnefs  is  better  than  life  !" 
5.  This  fubje6l  warns  finners  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come.  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked  ev- 
ery day,  and  his  wrath  continually  abides  upon 
them.  And  though  he  now  waits  to  be  gracious 
to  them,  and  endures  them  with  much  long  fuffer- 
ing  and  patience;  yet,  unlefs  they  repent  and  be- 
come cordially  reconciled  to  him,  he  will  whet  his 
glittering  fword,  and  his  hand  will  take  hold  on 
judgment,  and  he  will  give  them  a  juft  recompenfe 
of  reward.  It  will  be  s^  terrible  thing  for  finners 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God,  who  is  a 
confumins  fire,  and  whofe  wrath  will  burn  to  the 
lowed  hell.  But  God  is  now  feated  on  a  throne 
of  grace.  Let  the  wicked  therefore  forfake  his 
way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts;  and 
Jet  him  return  to  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mer- 
cy upon  him ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abun- 
dantly  pardon.  SERMON 


SERMON     VI. 


The  Glory  of  God  illuflrated. 

•— — xxxxxx«®''0»<0'X>=:::5<xxx— — 

Exodus  xxxiii,  i8j  19. 

And  he  faid,  1  hefecch  thee,  Jhezo  me  thy  glory.    And  he 
faid^  I  will  make  all  my  goodnefs  pajs  bejore  thee. 


M' 


.OSES  became  early  acquainted  with 
God.  He  enjoyed  peculiar  manifeflations  of  his 
favor  in  the  family  of  Pharaoh.  In  his  retirement 
in  Midian,  he  maintained,  for  forty  years,  a  near 
and  familiar  intercourfe  with  the  Deity.  At  length, 
he  was  called  to  the  great  and  arduous  work  of 
leading  the  people  of  God  from  the  houfe  of  bon- 
dage to  the  land  of  promife.  This  gave  him  flill 
better  opportunities  of  feeing  the  glory  of  God, 
and  of  enjoying  the  manifeflations  of  his  love. 
God  freely  converfed  with  him,  face  to  face,  as  a 
man  converfes  with  his  friend  He  not  only  faw 
the  difplays  of  divine  vengeance  in  the  plagues 
poured  upon  Egypt,  and  the  difplays  of  divine  love 

in 


124  S    E    R    M   O    N    VI. 

in  the  mercies  granted  to  Ifrael ;  but  be  was  let 
into  the  defigns  of  the  Deity,  and  employed  as  an 
inftrument  of  making  them  known  to  his  people. 
Under  thefe  happy  circumftances,  he  made  a  rapid 
progefs,  both  in  the  knowledge  and  the  love  of 
God.  The  more  he  faw  of  the  divine  glory,  at 
one  time,  the  more  he  wifhed  to  fee  of  it,  at  an- 
other. Having  juft  been  interceding  with  God 
to  pardon  his  people,  for  making  and  worfhipping 
the  golden  calf,  and  having  received  affurance  that 
God  would  both  prcferve  and  guide  them  through 
the  wildernefs,  by  his  gracious  and  vifible  pref- 
ence;  he  makes  a  particular  requeft  for  himfelf, 
which  though  God  feems  to  deny,  yet  he  more 
than  grants.  The  requeft  is,  "  I  befeech  thee, 
fhew  me  thy  glory."  The  anfwer  is,  "  I  will  make 
all  my  goodnefs  pafs  before  thee.'*  The  promife 
of  God  here  feems  to  furpafs  the  petition  of  Mo^ 
fes.  He  defires  a  vifible  difplay  of  God's  vifible 
glory.  This  God  denies,  but  promifes  to  give  him 
fomething  better,  even  a  bright  difplay  of  his  mor- 
al glory.  "  I  will  make  all  my  goodnefs  pafs  be- 
fore thee."  Thefe  words,  in  this  connexion,  plain- 
ly teach  us. 

That  God  neceflarily  difplays  all  his  glory,  by 
difplaying  all  his  goodnefs. 

To  illuftrate  this  fubjeft,  I  fiiall, 

I.  Confider  what  is  to  be  underftood  by  the  glo- 
ty  of  God. 

II.  Confider 


S    E    R    M    O    N      VI.  tfi5 

II.  Confider  what  is  to  be  underflood  by  his 
difplaying  all  his  goodnefs. 

III.  Show,  that  by  doing  this,  he  neceflarily 
difplays  all  his  glory. 

I,  Let  us  confider  what  we  are  to  underftand  by 
the  glory  of  God.  The  glory  of  any  moral  agent 
is  that  intrinfic  moral  excellence,  which  renders 
him  worthy  of  approbation  and  efteem.  This  is 
never  feated  in  theunderftanding,  butin  the  heart. 
There  is  no  moral  excellence  in  a  man's  intelle£lu- 
al  powers,  but  only  in  his  difpofition  to  employ 
them  to  fome  valuable  purpofe.  All  intrinfic 
moral  excellence  lies  in  the  heart.  Here  we  al- 
'vays  look  for  it,  and  here  only  can  we  ever  find 
it.  A  man,  who  poffefles  a  good  heart,  or  a  truly 
benevolent  difpofition,  is  a  man  of  real  worth. 
Such  is  our  idea  of  the  glory  of  a  finite,  rational, 
moral  agent.  And  fince  we  derive  our  firft  ideas 
of  glory  from  rational  and  benevolent  creatures, 
we  are  obliged  to  confider  the  glory  of  God  to  be 
of  the  fame  nature  with  the  glory  of  other  moral 
beings.  Accordingly,  we  muft  fuppofe,  that  the 
glory  of  God  is  that  intrinfic  moral  excellence, 
which  is  feated  in  his  heart,  and  which  renders 
him  worthy  of  the  fupreme  love  and  homage  of  all 
intelligent  creatures.  As  a  man  thinketh  in  his 
heart,  fo  is  he  :  and  as  God  thinketh  in  his  heart, 
fo  is  he.  God  is  love.  And  in  this  confifts  his  re- 
al, intrinfic,  fupreme,  moral  excellence  and  glory. 
I  proceed,  •  II.  To 


126  S  E   R    M    O    N      Vr* 

II.  To  confider  what  is  to  be  underftood  hy 
God's  difplaying  all  his  goodncfs.  His  promife 
to  Mofes  is  very  lingular  and  very  fignificant.  "  I 
will  make  all  my  goodnefs  pafs  before  thee."  That 
God  may  difplay  all  his  goodnefs,  he  muft  do  two 
things. 

1.  He  mufl  difplay  his  goodnefs  to  as  high  a  de- 
gree as  poflible.  Though  there  be  no  degrees  of 
goodnefs  in  God  himfelf,  yet  there  mufl  be  de- 
grees of  difplaying  it  to  creatures  of  limited  capa- 
cities. God,  who  knows  all  things,  knows  the 
higheft  degree,  to  which  his  goodnefs  can  be  dif- 
played.  He  is  perfeftly  acquainted  with  the  capa- 
cities of  all  his  creatures,  and  with  all  the.  ways  of 
difplaying  his  goodnefs  to  the  view  of  their  minds. 
And  unlefs  he  gives  them  as  clear  and  full  a  difplay 
of  his  goodnefs,  as  they  are  capable  of  beholding, 
it  cannot  be  faid,  with  propriety,  that  he  difplays 
all  his  goodnefs.  But  when  he  difplays  as  much 
of  his  goodnefs  as  they  are  capable  of  comprehend- 
ing, then  he  may  be  faid  in  that  refped,  to  difplay 
alibis  goodnefs. 

2.  God's  difplaying  all  his  goodnefs  further  im- 
plies his  difplaying  it  in  all  its  branches,  and  agree- 
ably to  the  various  natures  and  chara6lers  of  his 
dependent  creatures.     In  particular, 

1.    It  implies  difplaying  his  benevolence  towards 
all  fenfitive  natures.     Nothing  more  is  neceffary 
to  render  any  creature  the  proper  ot^*^^  ^^  benev- 
olence 


SERMON       VI. 


127 


olence,  than  a  mere  capacity  of  enjoying  happinefs 
and  fuffering  pain.  And  as  all  the  creatures  of 
God  poflefs  this  capacity ;  fo  they  are  all  the  ob- 
jefts  of  his  benevolent  feelings.  He  hears  the 
young  ravens  when  they  cry.  He  opens  his  hand, 
and  fatisfies  the  defire  of  every  living  thing.  He 
is  good  unto  all  :  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over 
all  his  works.  He  regards,  with  a  benevolent  eye, 
the  higheft  angel  and  the  lowed  infeft.  His  per- 
fe6l  goodnefs  is  perfeft  benevolence  towards  all 
the  proper  obje6ls  of  benevolence.  And  it  is  im- 
poflible,  that  he  (hould  difplay  all  his  goodnefs, 
without  difplaying  univerfal  benevolence  towards 
all  his  creatures,  whether  rational  or  irrational, 
whether  virtuous  or  vicious.  Mere  benevolence 
has  no  refpe6l  to  charafler,  but  only  to  capacity. 
And,  therefore,  God  difplays  his  benevolent  re- 
gards to  the  loweft  as  well  as  the  higheft,  and  to  the 
worft  as  well  as  to  the  beft,  of  his  creatures.  . 

2.  In  order  to  difplay  all  his  goodnefs,  God 
muft  difplay  his  complacency  towards  all  holy  be- 
ings. The  goodnefs  of  the  Deity  naturally  and 
neceCTarily  inclines  him  to  love  goodnefs,  wherever 
he  fees  it.  Thofe  creatures,  therefore,  who  are 
virtuous  and  holy,  are  the  objects  of  his  compla- 
cency and  delight.  He  not  only  defires  their 
happinefs,  but  loves  their  charafters.  According- 
ly we  read.  "  The  righteous  Lord  loveth  right- 
ooufnefs.     The  Lord  takeih  pleafure  in  them  that 

feat 


12$  SERMON       VL 

fear  him.  The  Lord  loveth  the  righteous."  And 
to  Zion  it  is  faid.  "The  Lord  thy  God  in  the 
midft  of  thee  is  mighty  :  he  will  fave  thee,  he  will 
rejoice  over  thee  with  joy  :  he  will  reft  in  his  love, 
he  will  joy  over  thee  with  finging."  God  loved 
Mofes,  and  manifefted  his  love  to  him,  by  converf- 
ing  freely  with  him,  as  a  man  converfes  with  his 
friend.  John  was  the  beloved  difciple  of  Chrift, 
who  allowed  him  to  lean  on  his  bofom.  And  Chrift 
fays,  all  that  love  him'  are  loved  of  his  Father. 
God  loves  all  who  bear  his  moral' image,  from  the 
higheft  feraph  to  the  loweit  faint*  i-iencehe  cannot 
difplay  all  his  goodnefs,  without  difplaying  his  love 
of  complacency  towards  all  amiable,  holy,  virtu- 
ous beings. 

3.  Another  branch  of  divine  goodnefs  is  grace 
towards  the  guilty  and  ill-deferving.  This  God 
explicitly  declares  is  implied  in  his  goodnefs,  and 
muft  be  manifefted  in  difplaying  it.  "  I  will  make 
all  my  goodnefs  pafs  before  thee ;  and  I  will  be 
gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious,  and  will  Ihew 
mercy  to  whom  I  will  fhew  mercy."  The  good- 
nefs of  God  as  it  refpe6ls  finners,  is  grace,  or  mer- 
cy, or  compaflion,  or  that  difpofiiion,  which  leads 
him  to  pardon  their  offences.  Perfe6l  goodnefs 
is  perfect  grace  to  the  guilty.  So  it  is  more  ful- 
ly reprefented  in  the  chapter  fucceeding  the  text, 
where  we  have  an  account  of  God's  displaying 
bis  goodnefs  agreeably  to  his  promife  to  Mofes. 

*«  And 


SERMON      VI.  129 

'*  And  the  Lord  paffed  by  before  him,  and  pro- 
claimed. The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and 
gracious,  long-fuffering,  and  abundant  in  good- 
nefs  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thoufands,  for- 
giving iniquity;,  tranfgfeffion,  ahd  fin."  God's  for- 
giving goodnefs,  or  pardoning  love,  lays  at  the 
foundation  of  the  work  of  redemption.  All  the 
bleffings  of  the  gofpel,  and  even  the  gofpel  itfelf, 
took  their  rife  from  this  branch  of  divine  good- 
nefs, which  is  more  celebrated  in  Scripture,  thaa 
any  othejfc^.beauty  in  the  divine  charatler.  Our 
Saviour  dSPlares,  "  Godj'o  loved  the  world  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whofoever  believ- 
eth  in  him  fhould  not  perifii  but  have  everlafting 
life."  Paul  fays  in  the  fifth  of  Romans,  "  God 
commendeth  his  love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we 
were  yet  finners  Chrift  died  for  us.  But  when  fin 
abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound,  That  as 
fin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  fo  might  ^r^ce 
reign  through  righteoufnefs  unto  eternal  life  by 
Jefus  Chrift  our  Lord."  And  he  celebrates  divine 
grace  in  ftronger  terms  ftill,  in  the  fecond  of  Ephe- 
(ians.  "  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were 
dead  in  fins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with 
Chrift  :  by  grace  are  ye  faved ;  and  hath  raifed  us  up 
together,  and  made  us  fit  together  in  heavenly  pla- 
ces in  Chrift  Jefus,  That  in  ages  to  come  he  might 
Jhenj  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindnefs 
R  towards 


J30 


SERMON     VI. 


towards  us  through  Chrift  Jefus."  Such  a  difptay 
of  divine  grace  is  abfolutely  neceffary,  in  order 
to  give  a  fail  difplay  of  divine  goodnefs.  Itmuft 
be  obferved, 

-  4.  That  another  branch  of  God's  goodnefs  is  dif- 
rributive  juftice,  or  a  difpofition  to  punijh  impeni- 
tent finner«  aceordrng  to  their  deeds.     Such  vin- 
diBive  juftice  God  manifefted,  when  he  made  all 
his   goodnefs  pafs   before   Mofes.      Having  pro- 
claimed himfelf  as  forgiving  iniquity,  tranfgreflion, 
and  fin,he  adds,  "  And  that  will  by  no  means  clear 
fhe  guilty,  vifiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon 
the  children,  and  upon  the  children's  children  un- 
to the  third  and  fourth  generation."     This  mufi; 
mean  his  punifhing  the   impenitent,  becaufe  it  is 
fet  in  contraft  with  his  forgiving  the  penitent.    And 
God  often  declares,  that  he  has  not  only  a  right, 
but  a- difpofition   to  punifh  incorrigible   fmners. 
*'  See  now  that  I,  even  I  am  he,  and  there  is  na 
God  with  me.     I  kill,  and  I  make  alive;  I  wound, 
and  I  heal ; — If  I  whet  my  glittering  fword,  and 
mine  hand  take  hold  of  judgment;  I  will  render 
vengeance  to  mine  enemies,  and  will  reward  them 
that  hate  me."     To  this  the  Apoftle  refers,  when 
he  fays  to  chriftians,  "Dearly   beloved,  avenge 
not  yourfelves,  but  rather  give  place  unto  wrath  : 
for  it  is  written  vengeance  is  mine;  I  will   repay 
faith  the  Lord."    It  muft  be  the  nature  of  a  perfect- 
ly good  being  to  feel  afFeftions  exa6lly  correfpond- 

ent 


SERMON      VI.  431 

tnt  to  the  characters  and  difpdfifions  of  hisreafon- 
able  creatures.  As  God  loves  the  good,  fo  he 
muft  hate  the  evil ;  and  as  he  is  difpofed  to  reward 
the  good,  fo  he  muft  be  difpofed  to  punifti  the 
evil.  Accordingly  David  reprefents  God  as  feel- 
ing and  conducing  in  this  manner.  "  With  the 
merciful  thou  wilt  fhew  thyfelf  merciful)  with  an 
upright  man  thou  wilt  fhew  thyfelf  upright  >  with 
the  pure  thou  wilt  fhew  thyfelf  pure  ;  and  with  the 
froward  thou  wilt  fliew  thyfelf  froward."  In  anoth- 
er place,  the  Pfalmift  calls  upon  the  church  to 
praife  God  for  the  difplays  of  his  goodnefs,  in  pun- 
ifhing  the  wicked.  "  O  give  thanks  unto  the 
Lord,  y^^r  he  is  good ;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for- 
ever. To  him  that  fmote  Egypt  in  their  firft  born  : 
for  his  mercy  endureth  forever.  To  him  that  over- 
threw Pharaoh  and  his  hoft  in  the  Red  Sea  :  for 
his  mercy  endureth  forever.  To  him  that  fmote 
great  kings :  for  his  mercy  endureth  forever."  God^s 
goodnefs  is  a  confuming  fire  to  the  finally  impen- 
itent, and  will  burn  to  the  loweft  hell.  And  this 
amiable  attribute  of  vinditiitive  juftice  muft  be 
difplayed,  in  order  to  a  full  difplay  of  divine  good- 
nefs. Thus  God  difplays  all  his  goodnefs,  when 
he  difplays  it  in  the  higheft  poftible  degree,  and  in 
every  poffible  way.  It  is  impoffible  to  conceive, 
that  a  more  clear  and  full  difplay  of  goodnefs  than 
this,  can  be  made  by  the  greateft  and  beft  of  Be- 
ings.    It  remains  to  (how, 

III.  That 


132  SERMON       VI. 

III.  That  Godj  by  thus  difplaying  all  his  goo'd^ 
r\^^s^  necefTarily  difplays  all  his  glory.  This  is 
plainly  fuppofed  in  the  text.  Mofes  prays,  that 
God  would  fhew  him  his  glo?y,  and  God  replies, 
*'I  will  make  all  my  goodnefs  pafs  before  thee." 
There  appears  no  pertinency  in  this  reply,  unlefs 
the  Deity  would  neceffarily  difplay  all  his  glory, 
by  difplaying  all  his  goodnefs.  But  the  truth  of 
this  will  more  fully  appear,  if  we  confider, 

1.  That  when  God  difplays  all  his  goodnefs,  he 
difplays  all  his  moral  charaUer.  The  Supreme  Be- 
ing has  no  moral  excellence  but  what  is  included 
in  his  goodnefs.  God  is  love ;  all  his  goodnefs 
confifts  in  love;  all  his  love  lies  in  his  heart ;  and 
his  heart  is  the  feat  of  all  his  moral  excellence.  By 
difplaying  all  his  heart,  therefore,  he  neceffarily 
difplays  all  his  moral  charafter.  But  he  difplays 
all  .his-  heart,  when  he  difplays  all  his  goodnefs. 
For  all  the  feelings  of  his  heart  are  goodnefs  it- 
felf.  So  that  it  is  impoflible  for  God  to  difplay  all 
his  goodnefs,  without  difplaying  all  his  feelings; 
and  when  all  his  feelings  are  expreffed  or  a6lcd 
out,  his  whole  heart  and  all  his  moral  excellence  is 
difplayed.     Befides, 

2.  When  God  difplays  all  his  goodnefs,  he  ne- 
ceffarily  difplays  all  his  natural  as  well  as  moral  ex- 
cellence. Self-exiftence,  independence,  omni- 
prefence,  almighty  power,  boundlefs  knowledge, 
and  infinite  wifdom  form  the  natural  excellence  or 

glory 


S   E   R    M   O    N      VI.  133 

g\Qvy  of  God.  But  all  thefe  natural  attributes  de- 
rive their  real  glory  from  liis  goodnefs,  without 
which  they  would  be  a  blemifh,  rather  than  a  beau- 
ty, in  his  charaftcr.  When  his  natural  perfeftions 
are  under  the  influence  of  perfeft  goodnefs,  and 
exercifed  to  difplay  it,  then  they  appear  in  all 
their  glory  ;  but  could  we  fuppofe  them  to  be  dif- 
conneded  with  perfeft  goodnefs,  and  under  the 
influence  of  a  malevolent  heart,  they  would  ap- 
pear infinitely  odious  and  terrible;  and  form  the 
mofl;  malignant  and  deteftable  charafter  conceiva- 
ble. It  is  the  goodnefs  of  God,  which  ftamps  a 
beauty  and  glory  upon  all  his  natural  attributes. 
Accordingly,  when  he  difplaysall  his  goodnefs,  he 
neceflarily  difplays  all  the  glory  of  his  natural  per- 
feftions.  The  full  difplay  of  his  goodnefs  re- 
quires the  higheft  exertions  of  his  power,  wifdom, 
and  knowledge.  All  thefe  muft  be  exerted,  in  or- 
der to  form  and  execute  a  fcheme,  which  is  calcu- 
lated to  promote  the  higheft  poffible  good  of  the 
univerfe.  If  God  difplays  all  his  goodnefs,  there- 
fore, he  muft  neceffarily  difplay  all  his  greatnefs. 
This  conne6lion  between  the  difplays  of  goodnefs 
and  greatnefs  we  find  in  men.  Mofes  could  not 
difplay  all  his  goodnefs,  without  difplaying  all  his 
greatnefs.  Paul  could  pot  difplay  all  his  goodnefs, 
without  difplaying  all  his  greatnefs.  And  Chrift 
could  not  difplay  all  the  feelings  of  his  heart,  with- 
out difplaying  all  the    perfections  of  his  nature. 

So 


134  SERMON      VI. 

So  the  Supreme  Being  cannot  difplay  all  Iks  moral} 
without  difplayiijg  all  his  natural  attributes.     God 
has  no  glory   but  what  confifts  in  and  is  derived 
from  his  goodneis;  and,  therefore,   by  diTplaying 
all  his  goodnefs,  he  muft  neceffariiy  difplay  all  his 
glory.     Having  illuftrated  the  feveral  particulars 
propafed,  it  remains  to  draw  a  number  of  plain 
and  important  inferences  from  what  has  been  faid, 
1.  If  God  be  a  Being,  who  poffeffes  and  difplays 
|^erfe61;  goodnefs;   then  the  religion,  which  he  has 
required  of  mankind,  is  a  reafonable  fervice.     He 
faith  to  every  one,  who  is  capable  of  underftand- 
ing  his  word,  "  Thou  fhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,  with  all   thy  foul,  and  with  all 
thy  ftrength."     Supreme   love  to  God  is   the   fum 
and  comprehenfion  of  all  that  religion,  which  he 
has  enjoined  upon  men.  And  if  he  be  a  Being  of  fu- 
preme  moral  excellence,  then  he  is  worthy  of  the  fu- 
preme  afFeftion  of  all  his  reafonable  creatures.     It 
h  neither  fuperftition,  nor  enthufiafm,  to  love,  to 
fear,  to  obey,  to  worfhip,  and  to  adore,  the  great- 
eft  and  beft  of  Beins^s.     Rational  creatures  cannot 
give  a  brighter  difplay  of  their  rationality,  than  in 
difcerning  the  fupreme  excellencies  of  their  Crea- 
tor, nor  a  brighter  difplay  of  their  goodnefs,  than 
in  giving  him  the  fupreme  afft;6tion  of  their  hearts. 
If  it  be  reafonable  to  love  any  objeB,  it  is  reafon- 
able to  love  the  moft  amiable  objeft.     If  it  be  rea- 
fonable to  efteem  any  objeQ,  it  is  reafonable  to  ef- 

teem 


S    E   R    M    O    N       VI. 


135 


Tcem  that  which  has  the  greateft  natural  and  mor- 
al excellence.  If  it  be  reafonable  to  obev  anv  be- 
ing,  it  is  reafonable  to  obey  Him,  whofe  will  is 
perfe6l  rc8.itude.  If  it  be  reafonable  to  fubmit 
to  the  government  of  any  being,  it  is  reafonable 
to  fubmit  to  the  government  of  Him,  who  always 
knows  and  always  does  what  is  beft.  If  it  be  rea- 
fonable to  worfhip  any  being,  it  is  reafonable  to 
worfhip  Him,  who  is  infinitely  the  greateft  and  beft 
of  all  Beings.  The  religion,  which  God  requires, 
is  founded  in  the  nature  of  things,  and  muft  remain 
a  reafonable  fervice  on  the  part  of  man,  as  long- 
as  he  retains  his  rational  nature,  and  God  poffeffes 
fupreme  natural  and  moral  excellence. 

2.  If  God  muftdifplay  his  goodnefs  in  order  to 
difplay  his  glory ;  then  by  feeking  his  own  glory, 
he  muft  neceffarily  feek  the  good  of  his  creatures, 
A  full  dil'play  of  divine  goodnefs  muft  neceffarily 
promote  the  higheft  happinefs  of  the  intelledual 
fyftem.  God  cannot,  therefore,  difplay  all  his 
goodnefs  without  aiming  to  difFufe  the  largeft  pof- 
fible  portion  of  holinefs  and  happinefs,  through  the 
univerfe;  or  in  other  words,  he  cannot  feek  his 
own  glory  in  the  higheft  degree,  without  feeking 
the  higheft  good  of  the  intelligent  creation.  The 
Scriptures  abundantly  teach  us,  that  God  aims  at 
his  own  glory  in  all  his  condu6l.  We  read,  that 
"  he  made  all  things  for  himfelf ;  and  that  for  his 
pleafure  they  are  and  were  created."     In  difpenf- 

ing 


136  SERMON    VI. 

ing  mercies  and  judgments,  he  tells  us,  he  means  to 
difplay  his  glory  before  the  eyes  of  all  his  intelli- 
gent creatures.  But,  in  every  inftanCe  of  difplay- 
ing  his  glory,  he  difplays  his  goodnefs,  and  pro- 
motes the  happinefs  of  the  univerfe.  In  creating 
angels  and  men,  and  all  inferior  cbjefts,  his  ulti- 
mate defign  was  to  make  them  inftruments  in  his 
hand,  of  promoting  the  holinefs  and  happinefs  of 
the  univerfe.  For  if  there  be  one  creature  in  the 
univerfe,  whofe  creation,  deftination,  and  final  dif- 
pofal  will  not  difplay  the  goodnefs  of  God,  it  cannot 
fubferve  his  glory.  Juft  fo  far,  therefore,  as  all 
created  objeQs  will  eventually  promote  the  gen- 
eral good  of  the  univerfe.  juft  fo  far  and  no  farther 
will  they  promote  the  glory  of  their  Creator.  The 
fupreme  glory  of  God,  and  the  fupreme  good  of 
the  univerfe  are  neceflarily  and  infeperably  con- 
ne6led-.  And  it  is  for  want  of  feeing  this  connec- 
tion, that  fo  many  objeQ:  againft  the  ultimate  end 
of  God  in  the  creation  of  the  world.  They  im- 
agine it  is  derogatory  to  God  to  fay,  that  he  makes, 
his  own  glory  his  ultimate  end  in  creation,  provi- 
dence, and  redemption.  They  attach  the  idea  of 
felfilhnefs  to  this  motive  of  aftion.  But  if  God 
cannot  feek  his  own  glory  in  any  other  way,  than 
in  difplaying  his  goodnefs ;  then  to  feek  his  pwn 
glory  to  the  higheft  degree,  is  the  fame  thing  as  to 
give  the  higheft  expreffion  of  univerfal  and  difin- 
terefted  benevolence. 

3-  If 


SERMON      VI. 


137 


3.  If  God  cartnot  difplay  all  his  glory,  without 
dilplaying  all  his  goodnefs;  then  the  glory  ot  God 
required  the  exiftence  of  natural  and  moral  evil. 
All  the  goodnefs  of  God  in  all  its  branches,  could 
not  have  been  difplayed,  if  natural  and  moral  evil 
had  not  exifted.  If  there  had  been  no  ftnners  a- 
mong  the  creatures  of  God,  he  could  never  have 
had  an  opportunity  of  difplaying  his  grace  in  for- 
giving iniquity,  tranfgreffion,  and  fin ;  nor  of  dif- 
playing his  juftice  in  punifhing  the  guilty  and  im- 
penitent. There  was  the  fame  kind,  if  not  the 
fame  degree  of  neceffity  in  the  divine  mind,  to  cre- 
ate finful,  as  to  create  holy  beings.  If  God  meant 
to  difplay  all  his  goodnefs  in  creation,  he  was  obli- 
ged to  bring  into  being  obje6ls,  upon  which  he 
might  difplay  both  his  juftice  and  mercy.  God's 
goodnefs  will  fliine  brighter,  in  his  condu8;  to- 
wards finful,  than  in  his  condu8:  towards  holy  be- 
ings. More  of  the  heart  of  God  will  be  feen  in 
the  work  of  redemption,  than  in  all  his  other 
works.  In  this  fcheme  of  grace,  a  foundation  is 
laid  for  a  full  difcovery  of  all  the  natural  and  mor- 
al perfections  of  the  Deity.  The  glory  of  God, 
therefore,  required,  that  juft  fuch  finful  creatures 
as  mankind  are  fiiould  exift,  that  they  might  be 
both  the  monuments  of  divine  juftice,  and  of  di- 
vine grace. 

4.  If  the  fupreme  glory  of  God  confifts  in  his 
goodnefs ;    then  thofe,  who  like  any  part  of  his 

S  charafter. 


\ 


t^9  SERMON      Vr. 

charafler,  muft  neceflarily  like  the  whole.  His 
natural  perfections  are  under  the  entire  control 
of  his  moral ;  and  his  moral  perfetlions  fummarily 
confift  in  goodnefs,  or  univerfal,  difinterefled  be- 
nevolence. His  power  is  a  benevolent  power  j 
his  wifdor  is  a  benevolent  wifdom  ;  his  fovereign- 
ty  is  a  benevolent  fovereignty  ;  his  juftice  is  abe* 
nevolent  juftice  ;  and  every  other  moral  perfeftion 
of  his  nature  is  only  a  branch  of  general  benevo- 
lence. No  man,  therefore,  can  underftandingly 
approve  of  any  one  of  the  divine  attributes,  with- 
out approving  of  all.  It  is  a  great  miftake  in  any 
to  imagine,  that  they  love  the  goodnefs,  or  mercy 
of  God,  while  they  feel  oppofed  to  his  juftice,  or 
fovereignty,  or  any  other  divine  attribute.  The 
charafter  of  God  is  abfolutely  perfe6l  and  uniform. 
The  charafters  of  men  are  mixed  characters,  in 
which- there  are  often  fome  things  to  be  liked,  and 
others  to  be  difliked.  But  in  the  Deity  perfe6i 
goodnefs  ilamps  a  beauty  and  glory  upon  all  his 
attributes,  and  forms  a  charafter  completely  and 
infinitely  amiable.  The  only  reafon,  why  any  im- 
agine, that  they  love  fome  parts  of  the  divine  char- 
after,  and  not  the  whole,  is,  that  they  do  not  real- 
ly underftand  the  nature  of  divine  goodnefs,  but 
fuppofe,  that  God  is  altogether  fuch  an  One  as 
themfelves.  They  love  the  goodnefs  of  God, 
when  they  confider  it  as  partial  in  their  favor;  but 
tliis  is  a  falfe  idea  of  it,  and  entirely  confiftent  with 

hatred 


SERMON      VI.  139 

hatred  to  his  juftice,  and  every  other  divine  attri- 
bute. 

5.  If  the  fupreme  glory  of  God  confifts  in  his 
goodnefs;  then  ihofe,  who  diflike  any  part  of  the 
divine  charatler,  muft  neceffarily  diflike  the  whole. 
Some  pretend  to  like  the  natural  perfections  of  the 
Deity,  while  they  objeft  againft  his  moral  attri- 
butes. Thofe  of  a  Deiftical  turn  profefs  to  be- 
lieve, that  there  is  one  Supreme  Being,  who  is  pof- 
fefled  of  almighty  power,  boundLfs  knowledge, 
and  every  other  natural  perfeQion.  And  they 
infinuate,  that  they  have  no  objeftions  againft  the 
exiftence  and  chara6ler  of  fuch  a  felfexiftent  and 
eternal  Being.  Nor  do  mankind  in  general  find 
fault  with  the  natural  attributes  of  the  Deity,  while 
they  view  them  as  difconnefted  with  his  moral  char- 
after.  The  reafon  is  obvious.  The  bare  exift- 
ence of  the  natural  perfections  of  God,  while  they 
lie  dormant,  and  are  not  voluntarily  direCled  to 
any  particular  end,  nor  employed  to  promote  any 
particular  defign,  cannot  in  the  leaft  degree  affeft 
the  intereft  or  happinefs  of  mankind.  And  the 
worft  of  men  are  willing  there  fhould  be  a  being 
of  infinite  natural  perfections,  if  he  will  let  them 
entirely  alone.  But  there  is  no  room  to  confider 
the  natural  attributes  of  God  as  feparate  from  his 
moral,  for  they  are  all  under  the  influence  of  his 
goodnefs.  And  being  under  the  conftant  direClion 
of  his  goodnefs,  they  cannot  be  really  approved  of, 

without 


140  S    E    R    M    O    N     VL 

v'ithout  approving  of  his  goodnefs.  Thofe,  there- 
fore, who  diflike  the  goodnefs  of  the  Deity,  which 
comprehends  his  whole  moral  charafter,  muft  ne- 
ceflarily  diflike  every  perfeBion  of  the  divine  na- 
ture. There  are  others  among  the  believers  of 
divine  Revelation,  who  profefs  to  like  all  the  nat- 
ural perfe6lions  of  the  Deity  and  fome  of  his  mor- 
al attributes,  efpecially  his  goodnefs  and  grace  ; 
but  yet  heartily  oppofe  his  inflexible  juftice  and 
abfolute  fovereignty.  But  if  they  diflike  the  juf- 
tice and  fovereignty  of  God,  they  mufl:  of  neceffi- 
ty  diflike  his  goodnefs  and  mercy,  and  every  oth- 
er natural  and  moral  attribute.  For  the  juflice  of 
God  is  only  a  branch  of  his  perfe6l  benevolence, 
and  his  fovereignty  is  a  benevolent  fovereignty. 
God  does  not  diflike  any  of  his  own  perfe61ions; 
and  thofe,  who  are  partakers  of  the  divine  nature, 
cannot' diflike  any  of  its  natural  and  moral  excel- 
lencies. It  is  not  poflible,  that  any  man  fliould 
really  know  all  the  perfeflions  of  the  Deity,  and 
vet  hate  one  and  love  another.  Thofe,  who  real- 
ly  hate  any  part  of  his  goodnefs,  mufl:  neceflarily 
hate  all  his  goodnefs;  or  all  the  perfeftions  of  his 
nature,  which  flow  from  it,  and  are  always  under 
the  influence  of  it. 

6.  If  the  goodnefs  of  God  forms  his  whole  mor- 
al chara6ler;  then  thofe  who  do  not  love  him  fu- 
premely,  mufl;  neceflarily  hate  him  fupremely. 
There  is  no  defe6^.  nor  blemifti  in  the  moral  char- 

aBer 


S   E   R    M    O    N      VI.  141 

a6ler  of  God.  It  is  fupremely  amiable  and  glori- 
ous. In  this  light  it  appears  to  all  holy  beings. 
Angels  and  faints  in  heaven  difcern  the  moral  glo- 
ry and  excellency  of  the  Deity,  and  accordingly 
love  him  fupremely.  They  love  the  goodnefs  of 
God,  wjiich  conftitutes  him  the  beft  of  beings,  and 
therefore  they  love  him  above  all  other  beings. 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  thofe.  who  difcert^no 
moral  excellence  in  the  univerfal  and  difintereued 
benevolence  of  his  nature,  muft  neceffarily  difcern 
an  infinite  blemifh  in  his  chara6ler,  and  view  him 
as  the  moft  odious  and  deteftable  being  in  the  uni- 
verfe.  This  we  know  is  the  cafe  with  refpeft  to 
fallen  angels.  They  now  hate  God  fupremely 
for  that  fame  goodnefs  and  moral  glory,  for  which 
they  once  loved  him  fupremely.  And  we  find  this 
to  be  the  cafe  with  refpe6;  to  finncrs  of  mankind. 
When  they  are  brought  to  realize  the  Being,  and  to 
attend  to  the  moral  chara6ler  of  God,  they  feel 
their  carnal  mind  rife  in  perfeft  enmity  and  oppo- 
fition  to  him.  They  view  all  his  natural  perfec- 
tions under  the  influence  of  impartial  and  univer- 
fal goodnefs.  This  they  hate  in  any  being,  and 
above  all  in  the  Supreme  Being.  While  they  con- 
fider  all  his  perfe6lions  under  the  influence  of  his 
perfeftly  benevolent  heart,  they  hate  his  power, 
his  wifdom,  his  juftice,  his  fovereignty,  his  grace 
and  faithfulnefs.  They  hate  God  in  exa£t  propor- 
tion to  his  goodnefs  and  greatnefs.     And  as  they 

believe 


24^: 


SERMON       VI. 


believe  him  to  be  infinitely  great  and  good,  fo  they 
hate  him  infinitely  more  than  any  other,  yea,  than 
all  other  beings. 

7.  Does  the  glory  of  God  confift  in  his  good- 
nefs,  or  in  his  feeling  properly  towards  all  his  crea- 
tures, of  every  chara6ler  and  condition?  Hence 
we  learn  that  it  is  the  true  charaHer  of  God,  which 
fmners  hate.  They  do  not  hate  him,  while  they 
imlpne  he  is  regardlefs  of  their  charafter  and  con- 
du8;.  And  they  do  not  hate  him,  while  they  think 
he  is  altogether  fuch  an  One  as  themfelves,  and 
feels  a  partial  regard  for  their  intereft  and  happi- 
nefs.  But  as  foon  as  they  realize,  that  he  loathes 
their  chara6ters,  and  feels  difpofed  to  punifh  them 
to  all  eternity,  for  all  their  felfifh  feelings  and  con- 
duQ,  then  they  begin  to  hate  him  with  a  perfe6l  ha- 
tred. There  is  nothing  in  God,  which  they  fo  heart- 
ily oppofe,  as  that  very  goodnefs  or  benevolence, 
which  confi;itutes  all  his  moral  excellence  and  glory. 
They  would  not  hate  him  fo  much,  if  they  could 
only  believe,  that  he  was  oppofed  to  them  upon  the 
principle  of  perfe6l  malevolence.  There  are  no  two 
difpofitions  fo  diametrically  oppofite  to  each  oth- 
er, as  perfe6l  benevolence  and  perfeft  felfifhnefs. 
The  firft  forms  the  chara8:er  of  God,  and  the  fee - 
ond  the  charaQer  of  finners.  Hence  finners  per- 
fe6lly  hate  that  amiable  and  glorious  difpofition 
in  the  Deity,  by  which  he  is  perfeQly  oppofed  to 
all  their  views  and  feelings.     And  the  more  they 

fee 


.      S    E    R    M   O    N      VI.  143 

fee  the  impartial,  difinterefted,  fovereign  goodnefs 
of  liis  nature  difplayed  in  his  works  and  in  his  word, 
the  more  dire6tly  and  vigoroufly  their  hearts  rife 
againft  him.  Many  fuppofe,  that  all  the  oppofi- 
tion,  which  finners  feel  and  exprefs  towards  God, 
arifes  entirely  from  ignorance  of  his  true  charac- 
ter ;  and,  therefore,  they  conclude  if  finners  could 
only  be  made  acquainted  w^th  God's  true  charac- 
ter, and  his  real  feelings  towards  them,  they  would 
iiiftantly  renounce  their  enmity,  and  become  his 
moil  cordial  friends.  But  this  is  a  very  great  mif- 
take.  It  is  the  very  nature  of  fmful  creatures  to 
hate  their  benevolent  Creator.  They  would  not 
be  finners  unlefs  they  poffeffed  a  felfifh  heart;  and 
fo  long  as  they  poflefs  this,  they  cannot  be  recon- 
ciled to  the  chara8;er,  nor  fubjeft  to  the  holy  and 
righteous  law  of  God.  Belides,  if  a  clear  andjuft 
view  of  the  character  of  God  would  reconcile  fin- 
ners to  him  in  this  world,  why  not  in  the  next? 
All  the  damned  will  have  a  clear,  realizing,  juft 
view  of  the  moral  chara6ler  of  God ;  but  we  have 
no  reafon  to  think,  that  their  knowledge  of  his  char- 
after  and  conduft  will  ever  fubdue  their  enmity, 
and  reconcile  them  to  his  vindi6live  juftice.  But 
if  the  true  knowledge  of  God  will  not  have  this  ef- 
fe6i  in  a  future  ftate,  then  it  cannot  have  this  efFe£l 
in  the  prefent  ftate.  Indeed,  it  is  the  higheft  ab- 
furdity  to  fuppofe,  that  the  clear  knowledge  of  that 
being,  whom  finners  naturally  hate,  fhould  lead 

them 


144  SERMON      VI. 

to  love  him.  But  it  is  eafy  to  fee,  that  the  more 
felfifh  creatures  know  of  the  benevolence  of  the 
Deity,  the  more  they  will  hate  and  oppofe  him. 

8.  If  the  glory  of  God  confiftsin  his  goodnefs ; 
then  a  clear  view  of  his  goodnefs  would  deftroy  all 
the  falfe  hopes  of  finners,  refpe8ing  their  good  ef- 
tate.  It  is  evident  from  fcripture,  that  (inners  may 
think  they  have  true  love  to  God,  and  ftand  enti- 
tleo^^to  eternal  life,  while  they  are  really  in  a  ftate 
of  total  alienation  from  God.  The  Ifraelites  en- 
tertained falfe  hopes  refpe6ling  the  favor  of  God, 
when  they  received  the  law  at  Mount  Sinai.  The 
Scribes  and  Pharifees  thought  they  ftood  high  iii 
the  favor  of  God.  The  young  man  in  the  gofpel, 
and  Saul  the  perfecutor,  viewed  themfelves  as  re- 
ally religious  and  friendly  to  God.  And  Chrift 
reprefents  many  as  being  fatally  and  finally  deceiv- 
ed, refpjcfting  their  good  eftate.  Such  deception 
always  arifes  from  finners  having  a  falfe  idea  of 
the  true  character  and  fupreme  glory  of  God.  Did 
they  underftand  the  true  nature  of  his  goodnefs, 
which  forms  his  fupreme  glory,  they  would  not  im- 
agine they  loved  him,  while  they  were  real  enemies 
to  him.  They  would  be  fo  far  from  thinking  they 
loved  him  fupremely,  that  they  would  fenfibly  feel 
a  total  oppofition  to  his  chara6ler.  But  when  fin- 
ners have  only  a  partial  view  of  God's  goodnefs 
they  may  love  it,  and  feel  ftrong  affe6lions  of  grat- 
itude to  the  grealeil  and  befl  of  beings.     This  is 

the 


S   E    R    M    O    N       VI.  145 

the  cafe  with  refpeft  to  a  very  great  part  of  thofe, 
who  live  under  the  light  of  the  gofpel ;  they  have 
formed  fach  an  idea  of  divine  goodnefs,  that  they 
really  feel  friendly  to  the  divine  chara61er.     And 
this  is  more  particularly  the  cafe  with  thofe,  who 
have  been  awakened  to  a  fenfe  of  danger  and  guilt, 
and  by  fome  text  of  Scripture,  or  by  fome  other 
circumftance,  have  been  led  to  believe,  that  their 
fins    are    pardoned,  and   their  perfons    accepted 
through  Chrifi:  the  beloved.     But  all   thefe   reli- 
gious hopes  and  afFeftions  are   falfe ;  and  a  clear 
view  of  all  God's  goodnefs,  or  of  his  goodnefs  in 
all  its  branches,  would  totally  deftroy  them.     Let 
finners  only  be   convinced,   that  God's  goodnefs 
is  impartial,  and  leads  him  to  hate  and  reje6l  all 
thofe,  who  love  him  merely  for  a  fuppofed  partial 
affe6lion  towards  them,  and  they  would  lofe  all 
their  love,  and  feel  a  bitter  'enmity  againft  his  whole 
chara6ler.     This  is  demonftrated  by  the  condu6t 
of  the  Ifraelites,  who  fang  God's  praifes  at  the  Red- 
Sea,  but  murmured,  and  rebelled,  and  died  in  the 
wildernefs;  and  by  thofe   multitudes,  who  cried 
hofannah  to  Chrift,  but  afterwards  cried   crucify 
him,  and  finally  embrued  their  hands  in  his  blood. 
A  juft  view  of  God's  goodnefs  mufl  neccfTarily  de- 
(iroy  all  thofe  religious  affeftions,  which  flow  from 
a  falfe  view  of  it. 

9.  If  the  glory  of  God  confifts  in  his  goodnefs ; 

then  we  learn,  why  finners  are  reprefented  as  blind 

T  tu 


146  S    E    R    M    O    N    VL 

to  his  glory.  The  Scripture  fpeaks  much  of  the 
moral  blindnefs  of  finners,  and  reprefeiits  them  as 
incapable  of  feeing  the  moral  beauty  of  the  divine 
charatler.  Our  Saviour  frequently  offended  the 
Pharifees,  by  calling  them  blind.  Paul  fays,  "  The 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God:  for  they  are  foolifhncfs  unto  him  j  nei- 
ther can  he  know  them,  becaufe  they  are  fpiritual- 
ly  difcerned."  The  Apoftle  John  fays,  "  He  that 
lovcth  not,  knoweth  not  God,  for  God  is  love.'* 
Thofe  who  are  entirely  under  the  influence  of  a 
felfifli  heart,  cannot  know  how  an  infinitely  benev- 
olent being  feels.  Though  they  may  have  a  fpec- 
ulative  knowledge  of  difintercfted  love,  and  dif- 
cern  an  eflential  difference  between  felfifhnefs  and 
benevolence  ;  yet  they  have  no  experimental 
knowledge  of  the  fupreme  beauty  and  glory  of  the 
Deity.-  They  muft  feel  as  he  does,  in  order  to 
have  a  moral  view  of  his  moral  excellence. 

10.  If  God's  glory  effentiallyconfifls  in  his  good- 
nefs ;  then  thofe,  who  have  feen  his  real  glory  in 
ibe  leaft  degree,  will  defire  to  fee  more  and  more 
of  if.  This  appears  from  the  nature  of  fpiritual 
difcoveries,  which  afford  peculiar  fatisfaftion  to 
thofe,  to  whom  they  are  made.  Mofes  had  feen 
the  moral  beauty  of  the  divine  chara6ler,  and  this 
led  him  to  defire  a  more  full  and  perfeft  difcovery 
of  it.  "  I  befcech  thee,  fhew  me  thy  glory."  Da- 
vid had  feen  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  partial  views 

of 


SERMON      VI.  147 

of  It  led  him  to  defire  larger  and  clearer  views  of 
his  moral  beauty.  "One  thing  have  I  defired  of 
the  Lord,  that  will  I  feck  after,  that  I  may  dwell  in 
the  houfe  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  io  be- 
hold the  beauty  of  the  Lord."  Thofe,  who  polTefs  the 
leaft  degree  of  grace,  and  have  had  the  lead  view 
of  the  moral  excellence  of  the  Deity,  heartily  de- 
fire  to  fee  all  the  glory  of  God  difplayed,  in  all  the 
manifeftations  of  his  goodnefs.  They  are  not 
afraid  of  feeing  his  power,  nor  his  wifdom,  nor  his 
fovereignty,  nor  his  juftice,  nor  his  grace,  too  ful- 
ly difcovered  becaufe  they  know,  that  all  his  per- 
fections are  under  the  influence  of  that  perfeft  be- 
nevolence, which  they  love.  They  are  not  afraid 
of  looking  into  futurity,  and  fending  their  thoughts 
into  the  regions  of  light,  and  the  regions  of  dark- 
nefs,  for  they  know  that  wherever  they  fhall  fee 
the  hand,  they  fliall  fee  the  heart  of  God ;  and  it 
will  be  impoffible  to  difcover  any  part  of  his  char- 
after,  or  any  inftance  of  his  conduft,  which  will 
not  difplay  his  goodnefs.  Bleffed  are  the  pure  in 
heart,  who  love  to  fee  God.  Their  defires  fhall 
be  completely  fatisfied,  when  they  arrive  at  the 
kingdom  of  glory;  and  with  this  hopeful  profpeft 
they  may  poffefs  their  fouls  in  patience,  as  David 
did.  "As  for  me,  I  will  behold  thy  face  in  right- 
eoufnefs :  I  Ihall  be  fatisfied,  when  I  awake  with 
thy  likenefs." 

Let 


14^  S  E   R    M    O    N      VL 

Let  all  take  occafion  from  wliat  has  been  Taid, 
to  inquire  whether  they  fincerely  love  the  glory 
of  God.  This  is  fomething  very  different  from 
loving  their  own  happinefs,  and  loving  God  for 
promoting  it.  To  love  the  glory  of  God  is  to  love 
all  his  goodnefs,  and  all  the  perfeftions  of  his  na- 
ture, which  are  under  the  influence  of  it.  It  is  to 
be  pleafed  with  every  part  of  the  divine  character, 
and  every  inflance  of  the  divine  conduft.  God 
has  difplayed  his  goodnefs  towards  angels  and  men ; 
both  in  a  ftate  of  holinefs,  and  in  a  ftate  of  fin.  He 
has  difcovered  his  feelings  towards  holy  and  un- 
holy creatures.  He  has  manifefted  the  higheft 
complacency  and  delight  in  thofe,  who  love  him  ; 
and  the  higheft  difplealure  againft  his  enemies.  He 
has  provided  a  heaven  of  holinefs  and  happinefs 
for  the  righteous,  and  a  place  of  everlafting  tor^ 
ment  for  the  wicked.  He  is  now  forming  vefTcls 
of  mercy  and  vcflcls  of  wrath,  upon  whom  to  dif-^ 
play  all  his  goodnefs  in  all  its  branches  to  all  eter- 
nity. Now,  do  you  defire  to  fee  the  glory  of  God. 
difplayed  in  all  thcfc  ways  and  upon  all  thefe  ob- 
jefls?  Are  you  wifhing  for  the  accomplifhment  of 
all  God's  defigns  to  difplay  his  glory  ?  Can  you 
enter  into  his  views  and  feelings,  in  the  plan  of 
redemption,  which  is  to  unfold  all  his  goodnefs  ? 
Can  you  defire,  that  this  fcheme  of  perfe6l  benev- 
olence fliou'd  be  carried  into  execution,  whether 

it  fhall  raife  or  fink,  happify,  or  deflroy  you  for- 
ever? 


S   E   R   M   O    N      VI.  149 

ever?  If  thefe  be  your  feelings,  you  are  really 
friendly  to  God.  And  that  goodnefs,  which  you 
love,  will  have  a  moft  friendly  afpe8;  upon  your 
happinefs.  It  will  engage  all  the  attributes  of  the 
Deity  in  your  favor;  and  conduQ:  you  finally  to 
that  kingdom,  which  was  prepared  for  you,  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  if  you  cannot  enter  into  the  benevolent 
views  and  feelings  of  the  Deity,  nor  heartily  acqui- 
efce  in  all  the  difplays  of  his  goodnefs,  you  are  re- 
al enemies  to  God  and  to  all  righteoufnefs.  And 
that  goodnefs,  which  you  hate  and  oppofe,  will  en- 
gage all  his  perfe6lions  againft  you.  He  cannot 
difplay  all  his  goodnefs,  unlefs  he  makes  his  wrath 
and  power  known,  in  your  everlafting  deftru6lion. 
The  fame  goodnefs  of  God,  which  requires  him  to 
fave  penitent,  believing  finners,  equally  requires 
him  to  deftroy  the  impenitent  and  unbelieving. 
The  fame  goodnefs  of  God,  which  prompts  him  to 
raife  faints  to  the  third  heavens,  will  equally  prompt 
him  to  fink  finners  to  the  loweft  hell.  Let  the 
goodnefs  of  God,  therefore,  both  alarm  and  allure 
finners  to  exercife  that  godly  forrow,  which  work- 
eih  repentence  unto  falvation.     Amen. 


SERMON 


SERMON    VII. 

The  Teftimony  of  Chrift  to 
his  own  Divinity 

"  ■     xxxxxx«<5>"<s>"@'xxxxxx 
John   x,  33. 
Becaufe  that  thoUi  being  a  many  makejl  thyjdj  God, 

X  HERE  have  been  various  opinions  of 
our  Saviour,  ever  fince  his  firft  appearance  in  the 
flefh.  Not  only  Herod,  but  all  Jcrufalem,  "were 
troubled  with  anxiety  and  doubt,  when  they  heard 
the  news  of  his  birth.  Mary  herfelf  hardly  knew 
what  opinion  to  form  of  her  child,  when  fhe  heard 
and  pondered  the  faying  of  the  angels,  who  had 
announced  him  to  the  world,  as  Chrift  the  Lord. 
And  when  the  appointed  time  was  come,  that  he 
fhould  emerge  from  the  obfcurity  of  private  life, 
and  appear  in  his  public  charaBer,  thofe,  who 
heard  his  do8:rines  and  faw  his  miracles,  were  ve- 
ry much  divided  in  their  opinions  of  fuch  an  ex- 
traordinary 


152 


SERMON       VII. 


traordinary  Perfonage.  Some  faid,  he  was  John 
the  Baptift;  fome  faid,  he  was  Elias;  fome  faidj 
he  was  Jeremias,  or  one  of  the  prophets ;  and  fome 
faid,  he  was  the  Son  of  the  living  God.  But  though 
this  laft  opinion  was  believed  by  his  difciples,  and 
propagated  by  the  firft  preachers  of  the  gofpel,  af- 
ter his  afcention  to  heaven;  yet  new  and  ftrange 
opinions  of  Chrift  foon  fprang  up  and  fpread  a- 
hiong  his  profeffed  followers.  Some  denied  his 
humanity;  fome  denied  his  divinity;  and  fome 
denied  both.  This  diverfiiy  of  opinions,  concern- 
ing the  founder  of  our  holy  religion,  proved  the 
unhappy  occafion  of  long  and  fliarp  difputes  in 
the  Chriftian  Church.  And  though  a  milder  fpir- 
it  now  prevails  among  Chriftians ;  yet  they  are 
far  from  being  united  in  their  fentiments  about  the 
perfonal  chara6ter  of  their  common  Saviour.  Four 
different  opinions,  upon  this  fubjeft,  divided  them 
into  four  different  denominations.  Thefe  are 
commonly  called,  for  the  fake  of  dillinftion,  So- 
cinians,  Arians,  Unitarians,  and  Trinitarians.  The 
Socinians  believe,  that  Chrifl  was  but  a  mere  man^ 
though  favored  with  the  gift  of  Infpiration.  The 
Arians  make  him  more  than  man,  and  fuppofe  him 
to  be  pofTelTed  of  every  divine  perfeflion,  except 
felfexiftence  and  independence.  The  Unitarians 
view  him  as  a  fuper-angeiic  Nature  intimately  unit- 
ed with  the  one  true  God.  The  Trinitarians  con- 
ceive him  to  be  a  proper  man  myflerioufly  united 

with 


SERMON      VII.  153 

with  the  fecond  Perfon  in  the  Godhead.  But  not- 
withftanding  this  variety  of  opinions  concerning 
Chrift,  yet  all  his  profefTed  followers  agree,  that 
he  was  poffefTed  of  perfe6l  purity  and  moral  rec- 
titude. And  fince  they  agree  in  the  belief  of  his 
undoubted  veracity,  they  ought  to  agree,  that  his 
own  declarations  concerning  himfelf  fliould  fetde 
their  long  and  unhappy  difpute.  His  enemies  fay, 
in  our  text,  that  he  profefled  to  be  God  as  well  as 
man,  "  Becaufe  that  thou,  being  a  man,  makeft 
thyfelf  God."  Thefe  words  very  naturally  lead  us 
to  confider  what  Chrift  did  fay  concerning  his  hu- 
manity and  divinity;  and  the  grounds,  upon  which 
he  aflerted  both. 

I.  Let  us  confider  what  Chrift  faid  concerning 
his  humanity. 

He  was  born  of  a  woman.  He  gradually  in- 
creafed  in  ftature  and  knowledge,  until  he  reached 
the  years  of  manhood.  He  then  appeared  and 
converfed  like  other  men.  And  when  he  had  oc- 
cafion  to  fpeak  of  himfelf,  he  ufed  a  peculiar  phrafe, 
which  clearly  and  forcibly  expreffed  his  humanity. 
He  commonly  called  himfelf  the  Son  of  man.  I  will 
mention  a  number  of  inftances.  "  The  foxes  have 
holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have  nefts ;  but  the 
Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head.  The 
Son  of  man  came  eating  and  drinking.  Tell  the  vif- 
ion  to  no  man,  until  the  Son  o/raan  be  rifen  from 
the  dead.  The  Son  of  man  goeth  as  it  is  written  of 
U  him  j 


154  SERMON     VIL 

him  ;  but  wo  unto  that  man  by  whom  the  Son  of  man 
is  betrayed.  The  Son  of  man  is  come  to  feek  and 
to  fa-ve  that  which  is  loft.  Verily,  verily,  I  fay  un- 
to you.  Except  ye  eat  the  flefh  of  the  Son  oj man, 
and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.  Whom 
do  men  fay,  that  I  the  Son  of  man,  am  .?"  It  is  need- 
lefs  to  tranfcribe  all  the  paffages,  in  which  Chrift 
calls  himfelf  the  Son  of  man^  fince  he  calls  himfelf 
fo,  more  than  fixty  times  in  the  New  Teftament. 
By  this  phrafe,  he  always  meant  to  affert  his  hu- 
manity. And  the  Jews  always  underftood  it  in 
this  fenfe.  For  they  charged  him  with  blafphemy, 
becaufe  he  profeffed  to  be  a  man,  and  yet  made 
himfelf  God.  If  they  had  miftaken  his  meaning, 
he  muft  have  certainly  known  it,  and  as  certainly 
reftified  their  miftake.  But  it  does  not  appear, 
that  he  ever  intimated  to  any  perfon,  that  he  had 
been  mifunderftood  in  calling  himfelf  the  Son  of 
man.  By  this  phrafe,  therefore,  he  muft  have  in- 
tended to  affert  his  true  and  proper  humanity. 

II.  Let  us  confider  what  he  faid  concerning  his 
divinity. 

Though  he  profeffed  to  be  man,  yet  he  made 
himfelf  God;  and  faid  more  about  his  divine.^  than 
about  his  human  nature.  He  faid  a  great  many 
things,  by  which  he  meant,  either  direftly  or  in- 
dire6lly,  to  afTert  his  divinity.  Here  it  may  be 
obferved,  in  the  firft  place,  that  he  called  himfelf 
the  Son  of  God.     "  God  fo  loved  the  world,  that  he 

gave 


SERMON      VII. 


55 


^ave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whofoever  believeth 
in  him  fhould  not  perifli,  but  have  everlafting  life. 
For  God  fent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  con- 
demn the  world,  but  that  the  world,  through  him, 
might  be  favcd.      He  that  believeth  on  him  is  not 
condemned  ;    but  he   that  believeth    not  is  con- 
demned already,  becaufe  he  hath  not  believed  in 
the  name  of  the  onfy  begotten  Son  of  God.     Verily, 
verily,  I  fay  unto  you.  The  hour  is  coming,  and 
now  is,  when  the  dead  fhall  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God.     Doft  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God? 
He   anfwered  and   faid,  who   is  he,  Lord,   that  I 
might  believe,  on  him?    And  Jefus  faid  unto  him 
it  IS  he  that  talketh  with  thee.     This  ficknefs  is  not 
unto  death,  but  for  the  glory  of  God,  that  the  Son 
of  Gcd  might  be  glorified  thereby."     In  all  thefe 
paflages,  Chrift  means  to  aflert  his  divinity,  by  cal- 
ling himfelf  the    Son  of  God.     And  he  means  to 
convey  the  fame  id-ea  of  himfelf,  by  calling  God  his 
Father.     *^The  Son  of  man  fliall  come  in  the  glory 
of  his  Father.     Thinkeft  thou  that  I  cannot  pray  to 
my  Father^  and  he  fhall  prefently  give  me  more  than 
twelve  legions  of  angels.     Ifye  had  known  me,  ye 
ihould  have  known  my  Father  aKo.     But  now  have 
they  both  feen  and  hated  both  me  and  7?iy  Father" 
I  might  go  on  quoting  paffages  of  this  import ;  for 
Chrill  calls  God  his  Father,  more  than  fifty  times 
in   the   four  Evangelifts.     This  mode   of  fpeaking 
was  very   ofFenfive  to  the  Jews,  who  underllood 

him 


156  SERMON      VIL 

him  as  aflerdng  his  divinity.  Accordingly  we  readj 
«'  Therefore  the  Jews  fought  the  more  to  kill  him, 
becaufe  he  had  not  only  broken  the  fabbath-  but 
faid  alfo  that  God  was  his  Father,  making  bimfelf 
equal  with  God.''     Again, 

Chrift  ufed  anoiher  phrafe.  which  carried  the 
idea  of  his  divinity.  He  ufed  frequently  to  fay, 
that  he  was  one  with  the  Father,  "  Neither  pray  I 
for  thefe  alone,  but  for  them  alfo  which  fhall  be- 
lieve on  me  through  their  word;  That  they  may 
be  one,  as  thou  Father  art  in  mc^  and  \  in  thee,  that 
they  alfo  may  be  one  in  us :  that  the  world  may 
know  that  thou  haft  fent  me.  And  the  glory 
which  thou  gaveil  me  I  have  given  them ;  that 
they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one."  By  this  un- 
ion with  his  Father,  the  Jews  underftood  him  to 
alTert  his  divine  nature.  Hence  we  are  told,  when 
he  faid  on  a  certain  occafion,  "  I  and  my  Father 
are  one,  then  the  Jews  took  up  ftones  to  ftone  him." 
Juft  after  this,  he  faid,  "If  I  do  not  the  works  of 
my  Father,  believe  me  not.  But  if  I  do,  though 
ye  believe  not  me,  believe  the  works  :  that  ye 
may  know  and  believe  that  the  Father  is  in  me,  and 
I  in  him.'"  It  is  added,  "  Therefore  they  fought 
again  to  take  him  :  but  he  efcaped  out  of  their 
hand."     Again, 

Chrift  ufed  ah  expreflion,  which  fairly  implied 
his  eternity,  and  confequentiy  his  divinity;  and 
being  taken  in  this  fenfc,  it  highly  difplcafed  the 

Jews. 


S    E    R  ,M    O    N      VII.  J5y 

Jews.  *^  Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced  to  fee  my 
day ;  and  he  faw  it,  and  was  glad.  Then  faid  the 
Jews  unto  him,  Thou  art  not  yet  fifty  years  old, 
and  haft  thou  feen  Abraham  ?  Jefus  faid  unto 
them,  Before  Abraham  toas^^  I  am.  Then  they  took 
up  ftones  to  caft  at  him,  but  Jefus  hid  himfelf, 
and  went  out  of  the  temple,  going  through  the 
midft  of  them,  and  fo  paffed  by."     Again, 

Our  Lord  profeffed  to  be  a  divine  Perfon,  by 
claiming  a  divine  authority  io  forgive  fins.  '•  And 
behold,  they  brought  to  him  a  man  fick  of  the  pal- 
fy,  lying  on  a  bed :  and  Jefus  feeing  their  faith, 
faid  unto  the  fick  of  the  palfy,  Son,  be  of  good 
cheer,  thy  fins  are  forgiven  thee.  And  behold,  cer- 
tain of  the  fcribes  faid  within  themfelves,  This  man 
blafphemeth.  And  Jefus,  knowing  their  thoughts, 
faid,  Wherefore  think  ye  evil  in  your  hearts?  For 
whether  is  it  eafier?  to  fay,  Thy  fins  be  forgiven 
thee  ?  or  to  fay,  arife,  and  walk  ?  But  that  ye  may 
know  that  the  Son  of  man  hath  power  on  earth  to 
forgive  fins,  (then  faith  he  to  the  fick  of  the  palfy) 
Arife,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  unto  thine  houfe." 
Again, 

It  belongs  to  a  divine  Perfon  to  perform  divine 
works;  and  fuch  Chrift  profeffed  to  perform.  He 
faid,  "  My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work." 
He  faid,  "  he  had  power  to  lay  down  his  life,  and 
power  to  take  it  again."  He  faid,  «  he  had  pow- 
er to  raife  the  dead,  or  quicken  whom  he  would." 

He 


15$  SERMON      VII. 

He  wrought  miracles  in  his  own  name,  and  by  his  own 
power.  When  he  was  requefted-to  work  a  miracle, 
his  ufXial  reply  was,  /  wilU  and  then  wrought  the 
miracle  defired.  The  Prophets  wrought  miracles 
in  the  name  of  God,  and  the  Apoftles  in  the  name 
of  Chrift.  But  Chrift  wrought  miracles  in  his  own 
name  which  was  a  public  and  explicit  profefSon  of 
his  divinity. 

Moreover,  many  perfons,  who  came  to  our  Sav- 
iour, paid  him  divine  homage,  for  which  he  never 
rebuked  them.  "  And  behold,  there  came  a  leper 
and  worjhipped  him.,  fayi"g?  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thoa 
canft  make  me  clean.  And  Jefus  put  forth  his 
hand,  faying,  I  will,  be  thou  clean."  We  are  told, 
«  There  came  a  certain  ruler  and  worjliipped  hiin^ 
faying,  My  daughter  is  even  now  dead  :  but  come 
thou  and  lay  thine  hand  upon  her,  and  fhe  jfhall  live. 
And  Jefus  arofe  and  followed  him."  When  Chrifl 
had  walked  upon  the  fea,  faved  Peter  from 
drowning,  and  came  into  the  fliip,  "  then  they  that 
were  in  the  fhip  came  and  worjhipped  him."  The 
women,  who  met  him  after  his  refurre6lion,  as  they 
were  returning  from  the  fepulchre,  "  came  and 
held  him  by  his  feet,  and  worjliipped  him.''  The 
eleven  difciples  conduced  in  the  fame  manner  in 
Galilee,  for  "  when  they  faw  hira,  they  worjiiippcd 
him.''  And  when  believing  Thomas  faid  unto  him> 
My  Lord  and  my  God,  Jefus  appeared  and  com- 
mended his  faith  and   worfliip.     In  fuch  various 

•  wavs. 


SERMON      VII.  159 

ways,  and  by  fuch  various  forms  of  fpeech,  our 
Saviour  made  himfelf  God.  And  to  give  his  ex- 
preffions  their  full  force,  it  may  be  proper  to  ob- 
ferve. 

In  the  firft  place,  that  they  convinced  the  Jews, 
that  he  meant  to  affert  his  divinity.  When  he  in- 
quired why  they  went  about  to  ftone  him,  they  re- 
plied, "For a  good  work  we  ftone  thee  not:  but 
for  blafphemy,  and  becaufe  that  thou,  being  a  man, 
makeli  thyfelf  God."  The  Jews,  who  knew  their 
own  language,  would  never  have  charged  Chrift 
with  blafphemy,  unlefs  he  had  ufed  expreffions  con- 
cerning himfelf,  which  properly  conveyed  the  idea 
of  divinity.  But  when  they  heard  him  fay,  that 
he  was  the  Son  of  God;  that  God  was  his  Father  ; 
that  he  and  his  Father  were  one;  that  Ae  did  the 
■works  of  his  Father  ;  that  he  had  power  to  raife  the. 
dead;  that  he  had  authority  io  forgive  fns ;  and 
that  it  was  the  will  of  God,  that  all  men  fliould 
honor  the  Sdn^  even  as  they  honor  the  Father ;  it 
was  extremely  natural  for  them  to  believe,  that  he 
meant  to  make  himfelf  God  as  well  as  man.  And 
this  leads  me  to  obferve. 

In  the  fecond  place,  that  Chrift  never  contra- 
dided  his  profeflions  of  divinity,  nor  explained 
them  in  any  fenfe  different  from  that,  in  which 
they  were  underftood.  Though  he  was  blamed, 
and  even  charged  with  blafphemy,  for  making  him- 
felf God;  yet  he  never  denied  that  he  was  a  divine 
*  ,  perfon. 


i6o  S'  E   R   M   O   N    VIL 

peifon,  nor  that  he  had  profefled  to  be  fo.     But  if 
he  had  not  been  a  divine  perfon,  and  had  never 
intended  to  convey  this  idea  of  himfelf,  then  it  was 
highly  incumbent  upon  him,  to  explain  his  mean- 
ing, and  undeceive  thofe,  whom  he  had  deceived, 
by  his  unufual   and  improper  expreffions.     And 
this  we  prefume  he  would  have  done,  had  he  been 
a  mere  man  of  common  honefty.     Honeft   men 
have  always  been  very  careful  not  to  claim,  nor 
even  to  receive  divine  honors.      When   Pharaoh 
told  Jofeph,  "  I  have  heard  fay  of  thee,  that  thou 
canft  underftand  a  dream  to  interpret  it;  Jofeph 
anfwered  Pharaoh,  faying,  ii  is  not  in  me,  God  fliali 
give  Pharaoh  an  anfwer  of  peace."     When  Nebu- 
chadnezzar alked  Daniel  whether  he  could  inter* 
pret  his  dream,  Daniel   replied,  "  As  for  me,  this 
lecret  is  not  revealed  to  me  for  any  wifdom  that  / 
have  more  than  any  living,"    When  Cornelius  met 
Peter,  "  and  fell  down  at  his  feet  and  ■worjhipped 
him;  Peter  took  him  up,  faying,  ftand  up  :  I myjelf 
alfo  am  a  man"     When  the  Lycaonians  were  about 
to  offer  facrifice  to  Paul  and  Barnabas,  they  refti- 
fied  their  miftake,  and  rejefted  their  impious  hon- 
ors.    And  when  the  Apoftle  John  was  about  to 
worfhip  an  angel,  he  rebuked  him,  "  faying,  fee 
thou   do  it  not.     Worjhip  God"     Now,  if  Chrift 
were   not  a  divine  perfon,  and  yet  knew  that  he 
was  taken   to  be  divine,  by  thofe,  who  converfed 
with  him,  and  that  too  in  confequence  of  his  own 

♦    expreffions^ 


SERMON       VII.  i6t 

expreffions  ;  how  could  he  confiftently  with  a 
proper  regard  to  them,  to  hirafelf,  and  to  his  Mak- 
er, neglecl  to  reclify  their  great  and  dangerous 
miftake  ?  To  have  neglected  this,  would  have  prov- 
ed him  to  be  not  only  deftitute  of  the  virtue  of  the 
Prophets  and  Apoftles;  but  to  poflefs  the  vanity 
of  Herod,  who  was  ftruck  by  the  hand  of  heaven, 
for  receiving  that  honor,  which  was  due  to  God 
only.  Since,  therefore,  Chrift  never  contradift- 
ed  his  profeflions  of  divinity,  nor  attempted  to  ex- 
plain them  differently  from  what  they  were  under- 
ftood,  we  are  conftrained  to  conclude,  that  he  was, 
in  truth,  what  his  expreffions  naturally  implied  and 
conveyed,  a  divine  Pcrfon,  Efpecially,  if  we  con- 
fider  once  more. 

That  he  juftified  himfclf  in  profefling  to  be  a  di- 
vine perfon ;    and  perfifled  in  that  profefilon,   in 
the  full  view  of  death.     When  the  Jews  charged 
him  with  blafphemy,  for  making  himfelf  God,   he 
boldly  juftified  his  condud.      "Say  ye   of  him 
whom  the  Father  hath  fanftified  and  fent  into  the 
world,  Thou  blafphemeft,  becaufe  I  faid,  I  am  the 
Son  of  God  ?  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  my  Father, 
believe  me  not.     But  if  I  do,  though  ye   believe 
not  me,  believe  the  works  ;  that  ye  may  know  and 
believe   that  the  Father  is  in  me,   and  I  in  him." 
Indeed,  he  was  fo  willing  to  juftify  his  pretenfions 
to  divinity,  that  he  once  propofed  the  queftion  him- 
felf, on  purpofe  to  confound  and  filence  the  Phar- 
*•   W  ifeesj 


i62  SERMON       VIL 

ifees,  upon  this  fubje6i:.  "  While  the  Pharifees 
were  gathered  together,  Jefus  afked  them  faying, 
v/hat  think  ye  of  Chriil  ?  Whofe  Son  is  he  ?  They 
fay  unto  him,  the  Son  of  David.  He  faith  unto 
them,  How  then  doth  David  in  Spirit  call  him 
Lord,  faying,  The  Lord  faid  unto  my  Lord,  Sit 
thou  at  my  right  hand,  till  I  make  tlune  enemies 
thy  footllool.  If  David  then,  cail  him  Lord,  how 
is  he  his  Son  ?  And  no  man  was  able  to  anfwer  him 
a  word,  neither  durft  any  man  from  that  day  forth 
aflc  him  any  more  queftions."  Nor  did  he  barely 
juftify  his  claim  to  divinity,  but  even  perfifled  in 
the  claim,  when  he  knew  it  would  coft  him  his  life. 
After  he  was  apprehended  and  brought  before  the 
High  Prieft,  the  capital  charge  laid  againft  him 
was  his  profeffing  to  be  a  divine  Perfoii.  It  is  true, 
they  accufed  him,  before  Pilate,  of  profeffing  to  be 
a  King;  But,  before  the  High  Prieft  and  Ecclefi- 
aftical  Court,  they  charged  him  with  no  other 
crime  than  that  of  blafphemy,  in  making  himfelf 
God.  Accordingly,  « the  High  Prieft  faid  unto 
him,  I  adjure  thee  by  the  living  God,  that  thou  tell 
us  whether  thou  be  the  Chrift,  the  Son  of  God.  Je- 
fus faith  unto  him,  Thou  fayeft  it.  Neverthelefs 
I  fay  unto  you,  Hereafter  ye  fliall  fee  the  Son  of 
man  fitting  at  the  right  hand  of  power,  and  com- 
ing in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  Then  the  High  Prieft 
rent  his  clothes,  faying,  He  hath  fpoken  blafphe- 
my :  what  further  need  have  we  of  witneffes  ?  be- 
hold. 


SERMON      VII.  163 

hold,  now  ye  have  heard  his  blafphemy,  what  think 
ye  ?  They  anfwered  and  faid.  He  is  guihy  of  death." 
Thus  Chrift  profeffed  to  be  a  divine  Perfon  while 
he  lived  ;  and  when  he  died,  he  fealed  his  teflimo- 
ny  with  his  own  blood.  It  is  as  certain,  therefore, 
that  he  pofiefled  divinity,  as  that  he  poflelTed  the 
leaft  degree  of  truth,  or  moral  fincerity. 
It  only  remains  to  confider, 
III.  Upon  what  grounds  Chrift  aflerted  both  his 
humanity  and  divinity. 

Aad  here,  in  the  firft  place,  let  us  inquire  upon 
what  foundation  he  afferted  his  humanity.  Was 
it  limply  becaufe  he  was  born  of  a  woman,  and  had 
a  body  of  human  fhape  and  fize  ?  This  is  what 
feme  fuppofe.  But  is  this  fuppofition  credible  ? 
Does  a  mere  human  body,  born  of  a  woman, 
though  deftitute  of  a  human  foul,  conftitute  a  hu- 
man perfon  ?  Adam  was  a  man,  though  he  never 
was  born.  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob,  are  men, 
though  their  bodies  have  been  long  fince  feparated 
from  their  fouls.  It  is  not  to  be  fuppofed,  there- 
fore, that  Chrift  would  affert  his  humanity,  upon 
the  (lender  ground  of  being  born  of  a  woman  and 
having  only  a  human  body.  A  human  foul  with- 
out a  human  body  might  have  conftituted  him  a 
man.  But  a  human  body  without  a  human  foul 
could  not  have  given  him  the  effence  of  humanity. 
This  leads  us  to  conclude,  that  he  afferted  his  hu- 
manity, upon  the  juft  foundation  of  having  "  a  true 

body 


tSi  SERMON      Vir. 

body  and  a  reafonable  foul,"  united  in  the  fame 
manner,  as  the  foul  and  body  are  united  in  other 
men.  And  if  he  had  a  human  foul  united  with  a 
human  body,  then  he  may  be  as  properly  denom- 
inated a  man,  as  any  of  his  progenitors,  whofe 
names  are  mentioned  in  the  firft  chapter  of  Mat- 
thew. 

Let  us  next  confiderthe  ground  upon  which  he 
afferted  his  divinity. 

Pie  could  not  pretend  to  be  a  divine  perfon, 
upon  Socinian  ground,  whicb  is  that  of  divine  In- 
fpiration.  A  divine  perfon  has  no  occafion  of  be- 
ing divinely  infpired.  This  the  Socinians  allow, 
and,  therefore,  do  not  confider  Chrift  as  a  divine 
perfon,  becaufe  he  had  the  gift  of  infpiration  ; 
but  place  him  upon  a  level  with  other  infpired 
men. 

Nor  could  he  affert  his  divinity,  upon  Arian 
ground;  which  is,  that  he  poffefied  all  divine  ex- 
cellencies, except  felf-exiftence  and  independence. 
For,  however  great  the  powers  and  capacities  of  a 
dependent  being  may  be;  yet  he  cannot  poffefs 
a  fingle  attribute,  which  may  be  properly  called  di- 
vine. The  Arians  run  into  a  plain  abfurdity, 
which  the  Socinians  avoid.  The  Socinians  deny, 
that  any  being  is  divine,  who  is  deftitute  of  felf- 
exiftence  and  independence  ;  but  the  Arians  mainr 
tain,  that  a  being  may  be  divine,  who  wants  both 
thefe    incommunicable    attributes    of  the    Deity, 

They 


SERMON      VII.  t6^ 

They  plead,  that  Chrift  poffefTed  divine  power, 
wifdom,  and  goodnefs ;  though  he  was  abfolutely 
dependent,  and  derived  his  being  and  all  his  pow- 
ers from  the  Supreme  God  and  Father  of  all.  But 
it  is  totally  inconceivable,  that  a  derived,  depend- 
ent Nature,  fhould  really  pofTefs  any  of  thole  di- 
vine perfe6lions,  which  eflentially  belong  to  an 
underived,  independent,  felf-exiftent  Being.  No 
communications  from  God  to  Chrift  could  make 
him  a  divine  perfon.  Nor  could  any  intercourfe 
with  the  Deity  however  near  and  intimate,  make 
him  a  Deity.  So  that  no  excellencies  or  perfec- 
tions of  his  nature,  fhort  of  felf-exiftence  and  inde- 
pendence, could  juftify  him,  in  aflerting  his  divini- 

Nor  could  he  pretend  to  be  a  divine  perfon, 
upon  Unitarian  ground ;  which  is,  that  he  was  on- 
ly a  fuper-angelic  Nature  united  with  a  human 
body,  and  fent  by  the  one  only  true  God,  to  perform 
the  work  of  redemption.  Upon  this  hypothefis, 
he  could  aflert  neither  his  humanity,  nor  divinity; 
for  he  was  neither  a  man,  nor  an  angel,  nor  a  De- 
ity ;  but  a  being  (Jul  generis)  of  a  peculiar  kind. 
Accordingly,  the  Unitarians  do  not  pretend  he 
was  a  Deity,  or  poffeffed  of  any  truly  divine  attri- 
butes. And  we  cannot  fuppofe,  that  he  would  af- 
fert  his  divinity,  upon  a  ground  which  was  not  juft, 
and  which  the  Unitarians  themfelves  fuppofe  was 
notfufficient  to  fupport  fuch  an  affertion. 

There 


i66  SERMON      VII. 

There  remains  no  other  ground,  thereforcj  upon 
which  he  could  affert  his  divinity,  but  that  of  his 
being  God  and  man,  in  two  diftinft  natures,  and 
one  perfon.     A  perfonal  union  between  his  divine 
and  human  nature  would  properly  conftitute  him  a 
divine  perfon.     And  it  appears  from  his  own  expref- 
fions,   that  he   did  affert    his  divinity   upon    this 
ground.      He  fays,  John  in,  13,  "No  man   hath 
afcended  up  to   heaven  but  he  that    came  down 
from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  man,  which  is  in 
heaven."     Here  he  reprefents  his  one  individual 
perfon  as  being  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  at 
one  and   the  fame  time.     And  upon  the  fuppoli- 
tion  of  his  human  and  divine  natures  being  perfon- 
ally  united,  he  might  properly  fay  this;  but  upon 
no  other  fuppofition.     A  Prophet   could  not   fay 
this,  in  his  neareft  approaches  to  God.     Paul  could 
not  fay  this,  when  he  was  caught  up  to  the  third 
heaven.     An  angel   could   not  fay  this,   either  in 
heaven  or  on  earth.     Nor  could  Chrift  fay  this, 
unlefs    his   human  nature  were   perfonaily  united 
with  the  divine.     Any  other  union,  however  near 
and  intimate,  could  not  warrant  him,  who  was  a 
man,  to  make  himfelf  God. 

But  here  it  may  be  inquired,  what  is  meant  by 
Chrift's  human  nature's  being  perfonaily  united 
with  his  divine  nature.  It  is  eafy  to  fay  what  is 
not  meant  by  it.  It  does  not  mean,  that  his  hu- 
man nature  was  made  divine  nature.  Omnipo- 
tence 


SERMON      VII.  i6f 

tence  could  not  transform  his  humanity  into  di- 
vinity j  becaufe  that  would  be  the  fame  as  to  pro- 
duce divinity,  or  create  a  Creator.  But  fuppofing 
his  human  nature  could  have  been  made  divine 
nature  ;  yet  that  would  have  prevented  his  being 
God  and  man  in  two  natures,  and  but  one  perfon, 
which  is  what  he  proieffcd  to  be. 

Nor,  on  the  other  hand,  docs  his  human  nature's 
h  ting  per  finally  united  with  his  divine  nature,  mean> 
that  his  divine  nature  was  made  human  nature. 
For,  there  was  the  fame  impoffibility  of  degrading 
his  divinity  into  humanity,  as  of  exalting  his  hu- 
manity into  divinity.  And  could  this  have  been 
done,  it  would  have  equally  prevented  his  being 
what  he  profefled  to  be,  God  and  man  in  one  per- 
fon. 

Nor  does  his  human  nature's  being perfinally  uni- 
ted with  his  divine  nature,  mean,  that  his  two  na- 
tures were  mixt  or  blended  together.  For,  it  evi- 
-dently  appears  from  Scripture,  that  he  perfinally 
poflTeffed  every  divine  perfe6lion,  and  every  hu- 
man quality,  except  fin.  He  difcovered,  in  the 
courfe  of  his  life,  human  ignorance  and  divine 
knowledge  ;  human  wants  and  divine  fullnefs  ; 
human  weaknefs  and  divine  power;  human  de- 
pendence and  divine  independence. 

But,  if  the  perfonal  union  of  the  two  natures  in 
Chrift  does  not  mean,  that  his  humanity  became 
divinity,  nor  his  divinity  became  humanity,  nor  that 

thjefe 


i68  SERMON    Vll. 

thefe  were  mixt  or  blended  together;  then  the 
queftion  ftill  recurs,  What  is  meant  by  Chrift's  be- 
ing one  perfon  in  two  natures  ?  I  anfwer,  the  man 
Jefus,  who  had  a  true  body  and  a  reafonable  foul, 
was  united  with  the  fecond  Perfon  in  the  Trinity, 
in  fuch  a  manner,  as  laid  a  foundation  for  him  to 
fay,  with  propriety,  that  he  was  man ;  that  he  was 
God  ;  and  that  he  was  both  God  and  man  ;  and 
as  alfo  laid  a  foundation,  to  afcribe  what  he  did  as 
God,  and  fuffered  as  man,  to  one  and  the  felf-fame 
perfon.  If  any  fhould  here  afk^  How  eould  his 
two  natures  be  thus  perfonally  united  ?  We  can 
only  fay.  It  is  a  myftery.  And  there  is  no  avoid- 
ing a  myftery  with  refpeft  to  Chrift.  His  concep- 
iion  was  a  myftery.  And  if  we  admit  the  myftery 
of  his  conception,  why  fhould  we  hefitate  to  ad- 
jfliit  the  myftery  of  the  perfonal  union  between  his 
two  natures  ?  If  we  only  admit  this,  all  Chrift  faid 
concerning  himfelf  is  eafy  and  intelligible.  "  Be- 
ing a  man,  he  might  with  propriety?  make  himfelf 
God." 

I  ftiall  now  clofe  the  fubjc6l,  with  a  few  ferious 
Remarks. 

1.  To  deny  the  divinity  of  Chrift,  is  virtually 
to  impeach  his  moral  charafter.  He  knew,  that 
there  was  a  great  variety  of  opinions  entertained 
of  him,.  Many  inquired  at  his  own  mouth,  what 
manner  of  perfon  he  was.  In  feveral  inftances, 
he  was  pleafed  to  anfwer  them  in  terms  fufficiently 

plain 


SERMON      VII.  169 

plain  and  unequivoeaL  And  though  they  objeBed 
againft  his  anfwersi  as  extremely  impious;  yet  he 
never  contradiBed  or  foftened  them.  In  this  man- 
ner, he  treated  the  grand  queftion  concerning  his 
divinity,  for  feveral  years'.  At  laft,  the  fubjeft 
became  more  ferious.  The  Jews  confpired  againft 
him,  and  arraigned  him  before  their  higheft  Eccle- 
fiaftical  Court,  where  they  accufed  him  of  blaf- 
phemy,  for  making  himfelf  God»  The  High  Prieft, 
in  order  to  come  at  the  truth  of  the  cafe,  laid  him 
tinder  the  folemnity  of  an  oath,  and  commanded 
him  to  fay  in  fincerity,  whether  he  had  ever  pro- 
feffed  to  be  a  divine  perfon.  In  that  peculiar  fit- 
uation,  while  the  oath  of  God  was  upon  him,  and 
death  itfelf  before  him,  he  confirmed  and  repeated 
his  pretenfions  to  divinity,  and  appealed  to  the  day 
of  judgment  to  fan6lion  his  declarations.  There 
is  now  no  need  of  further  evidence,  that  he  fol- 
emnly  profeffed  to  be  a  divine  perfon  ;  and  there- 
fore we  cannot  call  his  divinity  in  queftion,  with- 
out joining  with  the  Jews,  and  impeaching  his 
moral  chara6ter.  His  declarations  are  recorded, 
and  carry  the  fame  authority  now,  that  they  did, 
when  they  were  uttered,  and  when  they  confound- 
ed his  oppofers.  It  will  not  fave  the  appearance 
of  modefty  to  plead,  that  we  do  not  mean  to  contra* 
diB,  but  only  to  explain  his  expreflions.  It  is  now" 
too  late  to  explain  Chrift's  words  upon  this  fubjed; 
becaufe  he  has,  in  the  moft  plain  and  folemn  man- 
X  ner, 


1/0 


SERMON     VII. 


ner,  explained  them  himfelf.  Hence  there  is  on- 
ly this  alternative  before  us,  either  to  believe  his 
divinity,  or  to  deny  his  veracity.  But  to  deny 
his  veracity,  upon  this  fubjeft,  is  to  blaft  his  whole 
moral  chara6ler,  and  to  reprefent  him  in  as  odious 
a  light,  as  ever  the  Jews  did,  when  they  called  him 
a  blafphemer,  and  faid  he  was  mad,  and  had  a  dev- 
il. To  impeach  the  moral  eharafler  of  Chrift  is 
extremely  criminal.  For,  it  is  not  only  blafphem- 
ing  his  name,  but  denying  his  religion.  To  fay 
that  Chrift  was  a  blafphemer,  is  to  fay  that  chrif- 
tianiiy  is  a  falfehood.  If  there  was  no  truth  in 
Chrift,  there  is  no  truth  in  his  religion.  Hence 
it  ferioufly  concerns  thofe,  who  d^ny  the  divinity 
of  Chrift,  impeach  his  charaBer,  and  fubvert  his 
gofpel,  to  prepare  to  meet  him,  when  he  fliall  come 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  fettle  the  folemn  dif- 
pute  between  them. 

2.  To  deny  the  divinity  of  Chrift,  is  virtually 
to  fet  up  human  reafon  againft  divine  revelation. 
The  Bible  fo  plainly  reprefents  Chrift  to  be  a  di- 
vine perfon,  that  none  would  hefitate  to  believe 
his  divinity,  if  they  could  only  comprehend  the 
myftery  of  his  being  God  and  man  in  two  natures, 
and  yet  but  one  perfon.  This  was  the  ftumbling- 
block  to  the  Jews.  They  could  not  comprehend 
how  Chrift,  being  a  man,  could  make  himfelf  God; 
or  how  he  could  fay,  when  he  was  not  fifty  years 
pldj  "  before  Abraham  was,  I  am."  And  this  is  the 

ftumbling 


SERMON       VII.  i7t 

Humblingblock  to  thofe,  who  now  deny  the  divin- 
ity of  Chrift.     The  myftery  contained  In  this  doc- 
trine, leads  them  to  explain  away  the  plained  paf- 
fages  of  Scripture  in  favor  of  it ;  and  to  bend  ail 
their  force  lo  prove,  that  the  perfonal  union  be- 
tween the  two  natures  of  Chrift  is  a  plain  and  pal- 
pable abfurdity.     A  late  Writer,  when  he  is  re- 
minded, that  the  Apoftles  maintained  the  do6lrine 
of  Chrift's  divinity,  fcruples  not  to  fay,  "As  it  is 
not  pretended  that  there  are  any  miracles  adopted 
to  prove  that  Chrift  made  and  fupports  the  world, 
I  do  not  fee  that  we  are  under  any  obligation  to 
believe  it,  merely  becaufe  it  was  an  opinion  held 
by  an  Apoftle."     He  adds,  "It  is  not,  certainly, 
from  a  few  cafual  expreflions,  which  fo  eafily  ad- 
mit of  other  interpretations,  and  efpecially  in  Epif- 
tolary  writings,  that  we  can  be   authorized  that 
fuch  was  the  ferious  opinion  of  the  Apoftles.     But 
i/ii  had  been  their  real  opinion,  it  would  not  follow 
that  it  was  true,  unlefs  the  teaching  of  it  fhould  ap- 
pear to  be  included  in  their  general  commiffion, 
with  which,  as  I  have  fhewn,  it  has  no  fort  of  con^ 
neftion," 

But  is  it  fafe  for  men  to  lean  to  their  own  under- 
ftanding,  in  oppofition  to  the  plaineft  declarations 
of  Scripture  ?  Let  experience  fpeak.  Some  have 
made  the  trial  upon  this  important  fubjeft;  but 
greatly  to  their  own  di  fad  vantage.  For,  their  at- 
tempt to  avoid  tho  feemin^  inconfiftency  of  Chrift's 

divinity, 


172  SERMON       VII. 

divinity,  has  driven  them  into  a  number  of  moft 
plain  and  palpable  abfurdities.  By  denying  him 
to  be  God  as  well  as  man,  they  have  been  obliged 
to  afcribe  fuch  things  to  his  humanity,  as  proper- 
ly and  neceffarily  belong  to  his  divinity.  This 
will  clearly  appear  in  a  variety  of  inftances. 

The  Scripture  reprefents  Chrift  as  exifting  from 
eternity :  but  this  they  are  obliged  partly  to  ac* 
knowledge  and  partly  to  deny ;  and  fo  maintain, 
that  he  neither  exifted  from  eternity,  nor  yet  had 
a  beginning  of  exiftence  ;  which  is  a  plain  abfurdity. 
The  Scripture  reprefents  Chrift  as  creating  the 
world,  which  belongs  to  him  as  God  :  but  this  they 
are  obliged  to  afcribe  to  him  as  man  j  which  is  a 
plain  abfurdiry.  The  Scripture  reprefents  Chrift 
as  governing  the  world,  which  belongs  to  him  as 
God  :  but  this  they  are  obliged  to  afcribe  to  him 
as  man  ;  which  is  a  plain  abfurdity.  The  Scrip- 
ture reprefents  Chrift  as  having  power  to  raife  the 
dead,  at  the  general  refurreftion,  which  belongs 
to  him  as  God  :  but  this  they  are  obliged  to  afcribe 
to  him  as  man;  which  is  a  plain  abfurdity.  The 
Scripture  reprefents  Chrift  as  being  able  to  judge 
the  fecrets  of  all  hearts,  at  the  laft  day,  which  be- 
longs to  him  as  God :  but  this  they  are  obliged  to 
afcribe  to  him  as  man ;  which  is  a  plain  abfurdity. 
All  thefe  abfurdities  neceffarily  flow  from  deny- 
ing the  divinity  of  Chrift,  and  applying  thofe  things 
to  him  as  man,  which  belong  to  him  as  God. 

If 


SERMON      VII.  T75 

If  it  fhould  be  allowed,  for  once,  that  the  doc- 
trine of  Chrift's  divinity  is  really  abfurd  ;  yet  it  is, 
by  no  means,  fo  plain  and  palpable  an  abfurdiiy,  as 
thefe  which  have  been  mentioned.  For,  it  is  much 
eafier  to  conceive,  that  humanity  and  divinity 
fhould  be  perfonally  united  in  Chrift,  than  to  con- 
ceive that  a  mere  dependent  nature  fliould  never 
begin  to  exifl ;  or  that  fuch  a  dependent  nature 
fhould  be  able  to  create  the  world,  to  govern  the 
world,  to  judge  the  world,  and  raife  the  dead.  We 
can  clearly  fee,  that  a  being  below  the  Deity  can- 
not perform  fuch  divine  works ;  but  we  cannot 
clearly  fee,  that  humanity  and  divinity  could  not 
be  perfonally  united  in  the  great  Emmanuel.  As 
foon  as  men  fet  up  their  own  reafon  againft  di- 
vine revelation,  they  break  over  a  facred  enclof- 
ure,  and  take  the  liberty  to  reafon  themfelves  into 
one  abfurdity  after  another,  until  they  infenfibly 
fall  into  the  gulph  of  fcepticifm.  "Thofe,  who 
will  believe  nothing,  the  manner  and  caufes  of  which 
they  cannot  comprehend,  muft  be  in  the  way  to 
believe  nothing  at  all."  To  avoid  this  dangerous 
error,  let  us  be  content  to  give  God  his  place,  and 
to  take  our  own.  Let  us  be  willing  to  allow,  that 
*'  the  weaknefs  of  God  is  ftronger  than  men  ;  and 
the  foolifhnefs  of  God  is  wifer  than  men." 

It  is  natural  to  remark  in  the  laft  place, 
3.  That  the  eftablifhment  of  Chrift's  divinity  ef- 
tabliilies  the  beauty    and  confiftency  of  his  whole 

chara5ler 


t74  SERMON      VII. 

character  and  conduft.  It  is  this,  which  demon- 
ftrates  the  reditude  of  his  moral  charafter;  and  fo 
renders  him  worthy  of  the  refpeft  and  imitation 
of  the  Socinians  themfelves.  It  is  this,  which 
gives  worth  to  his  death ;  and  fo  renders  him  a 
complete  and  all-fufficient  Saviour.  It  is  this, 
i^fWch  reconciles  all  the  great  things  afcribed  to 
him,  by  the  Prophets  and  the  Apoftles.  It  is  this, 
which  renders  him  worthy  of  the  humble  homage 
and  praifes  of  all  the  hofts  of  heaven.  It  is  this, 
which  eftablifhes  the  truth  and  importance  of  the 
gofpel.  it  is  this,  which  ratifies  the  truth  of  thofe. 
great  and  precious  promifes,  that  remain  to  be 
fulfilled;  and  affures  us,  that  religion  fliall  have 
a  long  and  univerfal  reign.  It  is  this,  which  af- 
fords permanent  light  and  eonfolation  to  all  good 
men,  while  paffing  through  the  dark  and  dreary 
journey  of  life.  In  a  word,  it  is  the  Divinity  of 
Chrift,  which  fpreads  a  luftre  over  the  face  of  the 
world,  and  calls  upon  Zion  to  rejoice,  that  her 
God  reigncth. 


SERMON 


SERMON     VIII. 
On  Confcience. 

• '  ■  '  xxx.:x.xx«0"@°'0>x'.xx><xx    ■  ■  ■" 

Acts  xxiv,  i6. 

And  herein  do  I  exercife  myfelf,  to  have  ahvays  a  con* 
fcience  void  of  offence  toward  God  and  toward  men, 

\jY  feems  rather  ftrange,   that   thofe,  who 
have   critically    furveyed  the  powers   and  opera- 
tions of  their  own  minds,  fhould  entertain   very 
different  ideas  of  confcience.     One  tells  us,   that 
confcience  is  nothing  elfe  but  our  own  judgment  o£ 
the  moral  reflitude  or  pravity  of  our  own  a6lions. 
A  fecond  tells  us,  that  confcience  is  properly  no 
more  than  reafon  itjdf  confidered  as  inftru6led  in 
regard  to  the  rule  we  ought  to  follow.     A  third 
tells  us,  that  there  is  2i  principle  of  refleHionin  men 
by  which  they  diftinguifli  between,  approve  and 
difapprove  their  own  aftions.     A  fourth  tells  us, 
that  confcience,  or  the  moral  fenfe,  is  a  cordial  as 
well  as  intdkHtial  exercife.     This  diverfity  of  opin- 
ions 


176  SERMON      VllL 

ions  refpefting  confcience,  has  been  the  occa- 
fion  of  many  difputes  upon  moral  and  religious 
fubjeds,  and  of  many  errors  not  only  in  theory 
but  in  pra6lice.  It  may  be  of  fome  fervice,  there- 
fore, to  confider  confcience  in  both  a  fpecuiative 
and  praftical  light.  The  Apoftle  fpeaks  of  it  in 
both  thefe  views.  He  reprefents  it  as  a  diftin6l 
faculty  of  the  mind,  which  he  earneftly  endeavor- 
ed to  keep  always  free  from  offence.  "  Herein 
do  I  excrcifc  myfelf,  to  have  always  a  confcience 
void  of  offence  toward  God,  and  toward  men." 
Thefe  words  naturally  lead  us  to  confider, 

I.  What  confcience  is  :  And, 

II.  What  we  mull  do  in  order  to  keep  it  void 
of  offence. 

I.  We  are  to  confider  what  confcience  is.  This 
is  a  very  difficult  as  well  as  important  inquiry. 
But  firice  we  know,  that  confcience  belongs  to 
the  mind,  we  muft  look  within,  and  fearch  for  it 
there.  Though  the  mind  be  immaterial  and  indi- 
vifible,  yet  it  confifts  of  more  than  one  faculty, 
A  mental  faculty  properly  means  a  mental  power 
of  receiving  ideas  and  impreffions,  independent- 
ly of  the  will.  According  to  this  definition,  we 
fhall  difcover  a  number  of  di{lin6l  faculties  in  the 
human  mind.  Perception  is  a  power  of  receiving 
ideas,  independently  of  the  will.  If  we  open  our 
eyes  in  a  clear  day,  we  cannot  help  perceiving  the 
vifible  objeds  around  us,  whether  we  wifh  to  per- 
ceive 


SERMON      VIII. 


n 


ceive  ihemj  or  not.  Perception,  therefore,  is  a 
diftind  faculty  of  the  mind. 

Reafon  is  a  power  of  receiving,  comparing,  and 
compounding  ideas,  independently  of  the  will. 
If  we  hear  a  man  aflert,  that  two  and  two  are  equal 
to  four,  we  cannot  help  perceiving  the  truth  of  the 
propofition,  whether  we  wifh  to  perceive  it,  or  not. 
Or  if  we  hear  a  man  demonftrate  the  immortality 
of  the  foul,  we  cannot  help  drawing  the  conclufion, 
that  we  muft  exift  in  a  future  ftate,  whether  we 
wifh  to  exift  in  a  future  ftate,  or  not.  Reafon, 
therefore,  is  a  diftinft  faculty  of  the  mind. 

Memory  is  a  power  of  retaining  and  recalling 
paft  ideas,  independently  of  the  will.  If  we  hear 
■what  we  have  heard  before,  or  fee  what  we  have 
feen  before,  we  cannot  help  recollefling,  that  we 
have  heard  or  feen  fuch  things,  whether  we  wifh. 
to  recolleO;  them,  or  not.  Memory,  therefore,  is 
a  diftinft  faculty  of  the  mind. 

Confcience  is  llkewife  a  power  of  receiving 
ideas  and  imprefllons,  independently  of  the  will* 
If  we  are  credibly  told,  that  one  man  has  killed 
another  from  malice  prepenfe,  we  cannot  help  per- 
ceiving the  criminality  of  the  murderer,  whether 
we  wifh  to  perceive  it  or  not.  Confcience,  there- 
fore, is  a  diftin£l  faculty  of  the  mind.  But  to  make 
this  more  fully  appear,  I  proceed  to  obferve, 

Y  J.  That 


178.  SERMON    VIII. 

1.  That  confcience  is  featcd  in  the  hreajl.*'.  The^ 
pleafure,  or  pain,  arifing  from  any  mental  faculty, 
clearly  determines  the  place  where  it  refides^  and 
operates.  We  all  know,  that  the  operation  of  con- 
fcience mote  immediately  and  fenfibly  affe6s  the 
hreajl.  It  is  here  we  feel  pleafure  or  pain,  when- 
ev"er  we  are  approved  or  condemned,  by  con- 
fcience. But  when  we  freely  employ  the  powers^ 
of  perception,  reafon,  and  memory,  we  find  it  is 
the  h'ad,,  which  is  either  agreeably,-  or  difagrceahly 
iiffefled.  If  it  be  fafe,  therefore,  to  follow  the 
dilates  of  daily  experience,  in  reafoning  upon  the 
mind  ;  we  may  fafely  conclude,  that  the  con- 
fcience, which  is  feated  in  the  breajly  and  performs 
all  its  operations  there,  is  entirely  diftinft  from  all 
the  mental  powers,  which  are  feated  in  the  head, 
:  2-.  The  confcience  may  be  impaired,  without  m- 
f airing' 2ir\j  other  faculty  of  the  mind.  A  man,, 
who  purfues  evil  courfes  and  forms  evil  habits,, 
"will  necefifarily  blunt  the  edge  of  confcience  and 
weaken  its  moral  difcernment.  But  after  he  has 
thoroughly  feared  his  confcience,  be  may  ftill  re- 
tain his  reafon,  memory,  and  every  other  intel- 
ledual  faculty,  in  their  full  force  and  aflivity. 
How  often   do   the    raoft   loofe   and  abandoned 

wretches, 

*  It  is  impoffible,  perhaps,  to  determine  the  local  feat  of 
llic  foul,  or  of  any  of  its  faculties,  finee  fpirit  does  not  occupy 
fpace.     B/  the  feat  of  confcience,  therefore,  is  meant  its  feat 

©f  inJlHsnes. 


SERMON      VIII,  179 

Wi*etclies,  who  have  (lifledand  well  nrgh  extinguifli- 
jcd  confcience,  appear,  to  reafon  as  well,  and   to 
write  as  well  upon  any  abftrufe  fubjefl,  as  thofe 
of  the   mod  exempiaiy  virtue  and   piety  ?    This 
clearly  proves  that  confcience  may  be   impaired^ 
without  impairing  any   other  intelledual  faculty. 
But  how   can  this  be  accounted  for,  without  fup- 
pofing  confcience  to  be  entirely  diftinfl  from  eve- 
ry other  mental  power?     If  confcience  were  per- 
ception; then   nothing  could  impair  it  but  what 
impaired  perception.     Or  if  confcience  were  rea- 
fon ;  then   nothing  could  impair  it,  but  what  im- 
paired  reafon.     It  is  a  well  known  h&,  that  any 
difiinB  faculty  of  the  mind  may  be  diJlinHly  impair- 
ed.    Old  age  often  impairs  the  memory,  without 
impairing  reafon.     A  delirium  often  impairs  rea- 
fon, without  impairing  the  memory.     And  blind- 
nefs,  or  deafnefs,  often  impairs  the   perception, 
without  impairing  any  other  mental  faculty.     IF 
thefe  fa6ls  prove,  that  either  perception,  reafon, 
or  memory,  is  a  diftiRS  faculty  of  the  mind;  then 
they  equally  prove,  that  confcience  is  fo.     For  it 
clearly  appears,  from  obfervation  and  experience, 
that  confcience^,  like  every  other   diftin£l  faculty 
of  the  foul,  may  be  diftindly  and  feperatcly  impair^ 
ed. 

3.  There  is  often  a  propriety  in  appealing  froni 
reafon  to  confcience  ;  which  is  another  evidence, 
that  thefe  are  really  diftincl  faculties.     In  rcafon- 

ini: 


iSo  SERMON     VIII. 

ing  upon  things  of  a  moral  nature,  it  is  proper  and 
neceffary,  in  many  cafes,  to  appeal  from   the  de- 
du6lions  of  realbn   to  the  dictates  of  confciencc. 
Thofe,   who  are  addicted  to  any  particular  vice, 
often  endeavor  tojuRify   their  condu61,  and  rea- 
fon  very  plaufibly  in  their  own  defence.     But  if 
they  would  fairly  appeal  from  reafon  to  confcience, 
confcience  would  immediately  condemn  both  their 
falfe  reafoning  and  criminal  praBice.     If  we  hear 
a  loofe  and  fubtil  man  reafon  very  ingenioufly  a- 
gainft  the   truth  of  the  Scriptures;    we  may  with 
great  propriety,  defire  him  to  confult  his  confciencc 
upon  this  ferious  fubjeft.     And  if  his  confcience 
be  not  extremely  ftupid,  it  will  immediately  tell 
him,  that  his  arguments  are  falfe,  and  the  Scrip- 
tures are  true.     Or  fuppofe  two  perfons   (hould 
-difpute  upon  the  practice  of  trading  in  the  fouls  of 
men,  and  one  fiiould  endeavour  to  prove  it  to  be 
right,  upon  the  principles  of  reafon;  and  the  oth- 
er, inftead  of  offering  a  fingle  argument  againft  it, 
Ihould  only  appeal  to  confcience  ;  would  not  con- 
fcience, in  oppofiiion  to  a  thoufand  rational  argu- 
ments, clearly  decide  in  this  cafe,  and  condemn 
this  inhuman  praftice  ?    Now,  if  confcience  may 
juftly  claim  a  right  to  corre6l  the  errors  of  reafon, 
as  well  as  the  errors  of  the  heart;  then  it  muft  be  a 
diftinft  and  fuperior  faculty  of  the  mind.     And 
this  is  what  all  mankind  allow  to  be  true,  by  their 
common  practice  of  appealing  from  the  court  of 

reafon 


S   E   R    M    O    N       VIIL  i8i 

reafon  to  the  court  of  confcience,  upon  any  moral, 
or  religious  fubjeft.     I  may  further  obferve, 

4.  Confcience  appears  to  be  a  diftinft  faculty, 
from  its  performing  various  offices,  which  no  oth- 
er intelleftual  faculty  can  perform.  Here  let  us 
take  a  particular  view  of  the  various  and  peculiar 
offices  of  confcience.     And, 

Firft.  It  is  the  proper  office  of  confcience  to 
teach  us  the  moral  difference  between  virtue  ana 
vice.  We  are  all  capable  of  difcerning  the  moral 
and  immutable  diftinQion  between  right  and  wrong, 
in  the  aftions  of  moral  agents.  But  if  we  examine 
our  mental  faculties,  we  fliall  find  none  but  con- 
fcience, which  can  enable  us  to  difcover  the  mor- 
al quality  of  moral  anions. 

We  certainly  cannot  difcover  right  and  wrong, 
by  our  Memory,  which  is  only  a  faculty  of  recal- 
ling pad  ideas  and  impreffions. 

By  Perception,  we  difcover  nothing  but  natural 
objeQ;s,  and  their  natural  effefts.  This  power  is 
common  to  all  fenfitive  natures.  Brutes  perceive 
the  objeBs  around  them,  and  their  natural  tenden- 
cy to  do  them  good  or  hurt.  They  perceive  the 
natural  tendency  of  fire  and  water,  and  take  pe- 
culiar care  to  avoid  being  burned  by  the  one,  or 
drowned  by  the  other.  But  they  have  no  idea  of 
right  and  wrong,  or  of  virtue  and  vice.  And  bare 
perception  in  men  ferves  no  higher  purpofe  than 
in  brutes.  If  wepoffeffed  no  mental  faculty  fuperi or 

to 


itt  SERMON      Vlir. 

to  perception,  we  could  never  difcover  the  diftinc- 
tion  between  moral  good  and  evil ;  nor  perform  a 
fingle  aftiottj  which  deferved  either  praife,  or 
b^ame. 

If  we  now  examine  the  power  of  Reafon,  we 
ftiall  find  it  equally  deftitute  of  moral  difcernment. 
It  cannot  difcover  the  l-eaft  merit,  or  demerit  in 
the  condu6l  of  moral  agents.  It  can  only  meafure 
the  advantage  or  difadvantage,  the  natural  good  or 
evil,  arifing  fiom  their  aftions.  If  a  man  fhould. 
(pread  a  falfe  report  concerning  a  certain  mer- 
chant, and  that  report  fhould  ruin  the  merchant's 
intereft ;  reafon  could  exaftiy  calculate  the  dama- 
ges done  to  the  merchant,  but  it  could  not  difcov- 
er the  Criminality  and  ill  defert  of  the  liar.  In  il^ 
view  of  reafon,  a  fufficient  fum  of  money  would 
completely  repair  the  damages,  and  fettle  the  whole 
affdir.  But  in  the  view  of  confcience,  which  dif- 
cerns  the  vioral  qnality  of  a8^ions,  all  the  gold  of 
Ophir  could  not  take  away  the^7z,  or  moral  evil  o( 
lying.  Hence  it  appears,  that  confcience  performs 
a  part,  which  no  other  faculty  of  the  mind  can 
perform. 

Secondly,  It  is  the  proper  office  of  confcience 
to  give  us  a  fenfe  of  moral  obligation.  We  all  feel 
that  we  oi'ght  to  do  fome  things,  and  oughi  not  to  da 
others.  Our  reafon,  however,  knows  nothing  a- 
bout  ouglit  and  ouc;ht  not^  and  c^n  give  us  no  fenfe 
of  morrJ  obligation.     It  is  only   our  confcience, 

which 


S   E   R    M    O    N      VIII.  T% 

vbkh tells  us  what  isiright  and  what  is  wrong;  and, 
at  the  fame  time,  makes  iis  feel,  chat  we  ought  to  do 
vhat  is  right,  and  oii^hi  not  to  do  what  is  wrongs 
Reafon  can  difcover  the  advantage  of  virtue,  and 
the  difadvantage  of  vice  -,  but  it  is  confcience  on- 
ly, which  can  make  us  feel  our  moral  obligation,  to 
purfue  the  former,  and  to  avoid  the  latter.  Thus, 
for  inftance,  reafo«  tells  us,  that  eternal  happinefs 
Ls  infinitely  more  valuable  than  temporal  enjoy- 
ments, and  therefore  it  will  really  be  for  our  inters 
eji,  to  give  up  temporal  enjoymenis,  for  the  faJce  of 
fecuring  eternal  happinefs  :  but  it  is  the  part  of 
confcience  to  make  us  feel,  that  we  ovghl^  or  that 
it  is  our  indifpenfible  duty,  to  renounce  the  whole 
world,  rather  than  to  lofe  our  own  fouls. 

Thirdly.  It  is  the  proper  office  of  confcience, 
to  approve  men  for  what  is  right,  and  to  condemn  them 
for  what  is  wrong,  in  all  their  moral  condu6l.  The 
Apoftle  reprefents  confcience  as  doing  this  office 
in  the  breads  of  the  Gentiles.  ''  Thefe,  having 
not  the  law,  are  a  law  to  themfelves;  which  ffiew 
the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  con- 
fcience alfo  bearing  them  witnefs,  and  their  thoughts 
the  mean  while  accujing  or  elfe  excujing  one  another.'* 
A  man's  reafon  may  teach  him,  that  he  has  afted 
wifely  in  doing  good,  or  that  he  has  a6led  foolifhly 
in  doing  evil ;  but  it  is  his  confcience  only,  which 
claims  a  right  to  call  him  to  an  account,  and  either 

approve . 


,84  H    K    R    M    O    N      VI ir.      ' 

tif^f^vc  or  ccndttun  him,  according  to  the  motivcf 
from  which  ho  ha«  «ded. 

»\irthlv.  It  is  the  proper  oihcc  of  conUiencc 
to  make  men TeeU  that  thev  thfcnr  to  be  rewaithHl, 
orpmnlhed,  according  to  their  wt^rks.  All  n\an- 
kiiui  are  capable  of  Feeling  their  juU  deferts^  thongh 
thev  are  often  unwilling  to  receive  the  due  re- 
ward of  their  deeds,  ^\*e  have  a  remarkable  in* 
ftance  of  this,  in  the  cale  of  joleph's  brethren, 
Avhile  thev  were  futVefing  for  their  envy  and  cru- 
eltv,  untler  the  correding  hand  of  God.  *•  And 
thev  lUid  one  to  another,  Wc  are  verily  guilty  con, 
cerning  our  brother*  ia  that  wc  faw  the  anguifh  of 
his  foul,  when  he  befought  us;  and  wc  would  not 
hear  :  therefore  is  this  diltrefs  come  upon  us/* 
Rmfm  hiid  fufFered  them  to  live  year  after  year 
Jti  carnal  cafe  and  Ihipidity  -.  but  when  c(ynfcitnce 
awoke,  it  g;U'e  them  a  lively  Unit  of  guilt,  and 
made  thei\i  feel,  that  they  jullly  drjhvfd  the  fever- 
eft  tokens  of  the  divine  difpleafure.  Thus  it  ap. 
pears  from  the  proper  offices  of  confciencc,  and 
from  various  other  conhderations,  that  it  is  a  pe- 
culiar and  diftinC^  faculty  of  the  mind.  The  way 
is  now  prepared  to  fhow, 

II.  What  we  irmft  do  in  order  to  keep  a  clear 
and  inotVenfive  confcience. 

The  Aportle  tells  us,  that  "he  exercifed  him- 
fclf  to  have  always  a  confcience  void  of  offence 
toward  God,  and  toward  men."     The  connetlion 

of 


S    E   K    !']    ()    !■:       \  ill.  1^/- 

of  tbcfc  wcH'«,  sndtlic  cccafion  upon  which  they 
ere  f'pokcn,  may  help  us  to  difcovcr  their  real 
import.  Pawl  wai  making  hii  defence  hefore  Fe- 
lix. And,  after  a  few  introductory  remark b,  he 
fr/rrrly  owt»,  that  he  had  embraced  that  jeligion, 
which  hii  advrrraricf  called  hercfy.  But  yet 
Kc  plead*,  that  he  had  aCled  an  hcneft  and  up- 
rig^ht  part,  in  adopting  the  peculiar  do8rine»  of  the 
g^fpcl.  And  to  confmn  hU  declaration,  be  af- 
f^rct  the  governor,  that  he  had  mude  it  hit  prac- 
tice to  follow  the  dilates  of  confcience,  in  the 
gcficral  courfc  of  hij  condufil,  refpeliing  both 
God  and  man.  In  this  conneQion,  therefore, 
he  muft  mean  by  a  confcicnce  void  of  offence,  a 
confcicncc  free  from  reproach  oi*  remorfe.  And 
futh  a  confciencc  may  be  maintained.  For  our 
confcicncc  can  never  reproach  uf,  fo  long  as  we 
faithfully  obey  its  di^tcs*  But  the  feriouf  and 
practical  qucflion  now  is,  what  we  mufl  do,  to  main- 
tain the  peace  and  approbation  of  confcicncc* 
Tf  ir,  the  ApoJlIc  intimates,  requires  great  exer- 
tion. "  Herein  do  /  exera/e  rnyfclf  to  have  always 
a  confcience  void  of  offence.** 

All  the  faculties  of  the  mind  are  in  tome  meaf- 
ure  tinder  the  influence  of  the  will.  Though  they 
are  all  diftind  from  the  will ;  yet  it  de^nds  up- 
on the  will,  whether  they  fliall  be  freely  and  prop- 
eriy  exercifed.  We  have  the  power  of  perceiv- 
ing external  obje^s ;  but  it  depends  upon  the  will, 
Z  vbether 


i86  S    E    R    M    O    N       VIII. 

whether  we  fiiall  open  or  fhut  our  eyes  upon  them. 
We  have  the  power  of  reafoning  upon  various 
fubjecls ;  but  it  depends  upon  the  will,  whether 
we  (hall  improve  or  ncgled  to  improve  this  noble 
faculty.  So,  we  have  the  power  of  difcerning  oQr 
duty,  and  the  obligations  we  are  under  to  do  it; 
but  it  depends  upon  the  will  whether  we  fhall  ex- 
ercife,  or  ftifle  our  moral  difcernment.  AH  the 
natural  faculties  are  talents,  which  tlie  will  can  ei- 
ther ufe  or  abufc.  Hence  our  own  free  and  vol- 
untary exertions  are  necefTary,  in  order  to  raain- 
tain  a  confcience  void  of  offence.  We  may,  if  we 
pleafe,  always  have  a  pure  and  peaceable  con- 
fcience; but  in  order  to  reach  fuch  a  high  and 
happy  attainment,  we  muft  always  exercife  our- 
felves,  in  the  following  refpe6ls. 

1.  We  muft  give  confcience  full  liberty  to  judge, 
before '\ve  acl.  It  always  ftands  ready  to  judge, 
and  to  judge  infallibly  right.  It  belongs  to  its  of- 
fice to  inform  us  what  we  ought.,  and  what  we  ought 
not  to  do.  And  if  we  would  only  allow  it  to  do  its 
office,  before  we  a6l5  it  would  never  reproach  us 
after  we  have  afted.  But  if  we  either  negleft,  or 
refufe  to  confult  confcience  upon  what  we  are 
going  to  do,  and  prefame  to  acl  before  we  have 
obtained  its  approbation,  it  will  certainly,  fooner 
or  later,  condemn  us  for  our  rafh  and  unwarranta- 
ble proceedings.  Confcience  claims  a  right  of 
judging  and  di6lating  in  all  our  moral  condu6l; 

and 


SERMON      VIII.  187 

and  it  isour  indifpenfible  duty  in  all  cafes,  to  give 
il  full  liberty  of  exercifing  this  jufl  and  facred  right. 
2.  We  muft  give  confcience  not  only  a  full  lib- 
trty,  but  alfo  difair  opportunity^  of  judging  bfore  we 
aft.     Confcience  always  judges  according  to  evi- 
dence;  and  if  the  evidence  be  falfe  or  partial,  it 
will   neceflarily   bring  in  a  wrong  verdift.      Wt^ 
fhould  be  impartial  in  confuiting  confcience,  and. 
lay  all  the  evidence  of  the   cafe  before  it,  that  it 
may  give  a  full  and  final   dccifion.     For,   though 
we  raay  impofe  upon  confcience,  for  a  time,   by 
falfe  or  partial  evidence  ;    yet,  it  will   finally  dif- 
cover  the  impofition,  and  condemn  us  for  our  fol- 
ly and  guilt.     A  perfon  may  have  the  approbation 
of  confcience  while  he  is  afting,  and  yet  afterwards 
feel  felf-condemned  for  what  he  has  done.     And 
this  will  always  be  the  cafe,  if  we  allow  a  corrupt 
heart  to  blind  the  confcience,  by  falfe,  or  partial 
evidence.     Here  lies  the  neceffity  of  peculiar  ex- 
ertion, in  order  to  have  always  a  confcience  void 
of  offence.     Though   every  inftance  of  duty   be 
really  a  cafe  of  confcience ;   yet  there  are   fome 
more  doubtful  and  difficult  duties,  which  are  more 
commonly  and  more  emphatically  called  cafes  of 
confcience.     And  it  is  in   thefe  cafes  more   efpo- 
cially,  that  we  ought  to  colle6l,  compare,  and  weigh 
evidence,  in  order  to  gire  confcience  difair  oppor- 
tunity of  judging.      In  a   thoufand  plain   cafes,  it 
decides  in  a  moment  what  is  right  or  waong;  but 

in 


s88  SERMON    VIII. 

in  doubtful,  diEBcult,  and  important  cafes,  it  never 
gives  a  fall  and  final  decifion,  until  all  the  evidence- 
iias  been  collefled  and  exhibited.  Herein,  there- 
fore, we  ought  to  cxcrcife  ourfelves,  that  con- 
fcience  may  have  difair  opportunity  of  judging  hefore 
■u'c  aB. 

3.  We  muft  cordially  obey  the  di6^ates  of  con- 
fcience,  ivhilc  we  are  acting.     The  didates  of  con- 
fcience  muft  be  obeyed  from  the  hearty  as  well  as; 
the  divine  commands.     Men  may,  indeed,  deceive 
themfelves,  and  imagine  they  have  afted  confcien- 
tioufly,  when,  they  have  paid  a  mere  external  obe- 
dience to  the  difclates  of  confcience.  But  whenever 
con,fcience  comes  to  review  their  conduQ,  it  will 
condemn  them  for  their  undutiful  fpirit.    Confcience 
tells  every  man,  that  all  real  obedience,  or  difobedi- 
ence  lies  in  the  heart;  and  that  he  is  either  praife,  or 
blame  worthy,  according  to  the  motives  which  gov- 
ern his  conduQ.  We  can  never,  therefore,  fatisfy  the 
demands  of  confcience,,  unlefs  we  a£l  agreeably  to 
its  dictates  from  an  upright  heart.     But  as  long  as 
we  properly  confult,  and  cordially  obey  the  di8atcs 
of  confcience,  it  will  approve  our  condud,  and  af- 
ford us  that  inward  peace,  which  is  the  very  balm 
of  life.     And  ibis  may  well  animate  us  to  cxcrcife 
ourfelves,  to  hajire  always  a  confcience  void  of  of- 
fence.    But  fi'ice   there  is  not  a  juft  man  upon 
earth  that  doeth  good,  and  finneth  not;  it  is  ne- 

ceffary  to  add, 

4.  That 


SERMON      VIII.  189 

4.  That  we  ought  to  let  confciencc  do  its  officcj 
after  we  have  afted,  as  well  as  before.  Confcience 
will  be  regarded  fooner  or  later.  If  we  negleft  to 
confult,  or  to  obey  it,  before  we  aft,  or  while  we 
are  a6iing,  it  will  claim  a  right  to  review  our  con- 
dud,  and  to  condemn  us  for  it.  And  fince  we  are 
all  liable  to  difregard  and  ftifle  confcience,  while 
we  are  purfuing  the  concerns  of  life  ;  we  ought  to 
give  it  a  full  liberty  and  a  fair  opportunity,  of  re- 
viewing our  paft  anions,  and  of  bringing  in  a  true 
and  faithful,  though  a  difagreeable  verdi6l.  Self- 
examination  is  highly  proper  and  neceffary  for  fuch 
depraved  and  imperfe6l  creatures  as  we  are.  And 
we  cannot  maintain  a  confcience  void  of  offence, 
without  frequently  exercifing  ourfelves  in  this  fe- 
rious  and  important  duty.  A  number  of  infliuc- 
tive  and  ufeful  inferences  may  now  be  fairly  drawn, 
from  what  has  been  faid  in  this  difcourfe. 

1.  It  appears  from  the  defcription,  which  has 
been  given  of  the  nature  and  offices  of  confcience, 
that  it  is  a  fuperior  faculty  of  the  mind,  and  abfolute- 
ly  neceffary  in  order  to  conftitute  us  moral  agents. 
There  is  an  eflential  difference  between  agents  and 
moral  agents  ;  and  it  is  confcience,  which  forms 
this  difference  between  men  and  animals.  All  the 
lower  fpecies  are  agents.  They  a6l  under  the  in- 
fluence of  motives.  They  choofe  and  refufe,  in. 
the  view  of  external  objefts.  One  fpecies  choofeS 
to  live  in  the  water,  and  another  choofes  to  live 

OH 


igo  SERMON     VIII. 

on  the  land.  One  fpices  choofes  to  live  in  a  Warm 
climate,  and  another  in  a  cold.  One  fpecies 
choofes  to  feed  on  fruits,  another  on  fifh,  and  an- 
other on  fowls.  But  though  thefe  and  all  other 
fpecies  of  animals  a6t  voluntarily  in  the  view  of 
motives ;  yet  they  are  not  moi'di  agents,  becaufe 
they  can  neither  diflinguifh  between  right  and 
wrong,  nor  feel  any  moral  obligation  either  to  afl", 
or  to  refrain  from  a6ling.  And  were  men  defti- 
tute  of  confcience,  they  would  be  equally  incapa- 
ble of  feeling  moral  obligation,  and  of  difl-inguifli- 
ing  the  moral  quality  of  aftions.  Neither  percep- 
tion, nor  reafon,  could  give  them  this  moral  dif- 
cernment.  It  is  confcience,  therefore,  which  con- 
ftrtutes  them  moral  agents,  and  raifes  them  to  the 
rank  of  accountable  beings. 

2.  If  it  be  true,  that  confcience  is  a  diftin6l  fac- 
ulty of  the  foul  and  neceflarily  conflitutes  a  moral 
agent;  then  it  is  very  natural  to  conclude,  that  In- 
fants are  ?nordl  agents  as  foon  as  they  are  agents. 
Though  they  are  born  weak  and  helplefs  crea- 
tures; yet  they  very  early  difcover  not  only  mo- 
tion, but  aftion.  When  they  are  but  a  few  days 
•  old,  they  appear  to  a6l  voluntarily  in  the  view  of 
motives.  They  are  pleafed  with  fome  objeds,  and 
difpleafcd  with  others.  They  never  fail,  for  in- 
ftance,  to  prefer  light  to  darknefs,  and  fweet  to 
bitter.  By  fuch  inftances  of  choofing  and  refuf- 
ing,  they  appear  to  be  ag-ents,  or  to  a£l  voluntarily 

in 


SERMON       VIII.  igi 

in  the  view  of  motives.     But  we  cannot  fuppofe, 
that  they  are  mere  agents,  in  ihefe  free,  fponlaneous, 
voluntary  exertions.     For  if  they  were  mere  agents, 
they  would  not  be  men  in  miniature,  nor  be  capa- 
ble of  becoming  77zor^/ agents.    Mere  agents  are  ut- 
terly incapable  of  becoming  moral  agents.     This 
has  been  demonftrated,  by   all   the   experiments, 
which    have    been   made    upon    tamed    animals. 
Though  they  have  been   taught  to  do  many  curi- 
ous  things,   and  to  imitate  a  thoufand  human  ac- 
tions; yet  they  have  never  been  taught  to  dijlin- 
guiJIivivtuQ  from  vice,  nor  to  feel  the  force  o^mor^ 
al  obligation.     They  are  by  nature    mere  agents; 
and,  without  a  new  nature,  they  cannot  be  made, 
nor  become  moral  agents.     And  if  Infants  were, 
at  firft,  mere  agents,  they  could  never  be  made,  nor 
become  moral  agents.      Neither   experience,  nor 
obfervation,  nor  inftru6lion,  could  give  them  the 
faculty  of  moral  difcernment.     We  may  ufe  many 
means  to  ftrengthen  and  refine  the  mental  powers 
of  Infants  and  children  ;  but  there  are  no  means  to 
be  ufed,  to  give  them  any  new  intelleftual  facul- 
ty.    If  confcience,  therefore,  be  an  eflential  fac- 
ulty of  the  human  mind,  it  mud  belong  to  it  in  in- 
fancy.    And  if  infants  polfefs  this  faculty  of  moral 
difcernment,    then  they    mufl   of   neceffity   com- 
men.ce  moral  agents,   as  foon   as   they   commence 
agents.     There  feems  to  be  no  way  to  avoid  this 
conclufion,  but  to  fuppofe,   that  confcience   can- 
not 


192 


SERMON       VIII. 


not  be  exercifedyo  early,  as  the  other  facuhies  of 
the  mind.  But  how  does  it  appear,  that  con- 
Icience  cannot  be  exercifed  as  eaj'ly^  as  any  other 
intelleftual  faculty?  It  does  not  appear  from  ex- 
perience. For  every  perfon  knows,  that  he  has 
been  able  to  diftinguifh  right  from  wrong,  and  to 
fee]  a  fenfe  of  guilt,  ever  fince  he  can  remember. 
It  does  not  appear  from  obfervation.  For  infants 
difcover  plain  marks  of  moral  depravity,  and  ap- 
pear to  aft  wrong,  as  foon  as  they  hegin  to  a6l.  And 
it  does  not  appear  from  Scripture.  For  the  Bi- 
ble rdfirefents  infants  as  finful,  guilty  creatures,  as 
foon  as  they  are  born;  which  plainly  implies,  that 
they  are  moral  agents.  In  a  word,  Scripture,  rea- 
fon,  ob!~crvation,  and  experience,  are  all  in  favor 
of  the  moral  agency  of  infants.  And  if  we  do  not 
admit,  that  moral  agency  commences  in  infancy, 
it  is  impoffible  to  determine,  or  even  to  form  a 
probable  conjefture,  when  it  does  commence. 

3.  If  confcience  be  the  only  faculty  of  the 
mind,  which  gives  us  a  fenfe  of  moral  obligation  ; 
then  its  dilates  are  always  to  be  followed.  Though 
all  allow,  that  we  ought  to  follow  the  diftates  of 
confcience,  when  it  is  rightly  informed ;  yet  fome 
fuppofe  we  ought  not  to  follow  its  diftates,  when 
it  is  mifinformed  and  erroneous.  As  this  is  a  quef- 
tion  concerning  duty,  fo  we  are  obliged  to  refer  it 
to  the  decifion  of  confcience.     But  if  we  refer  it 

to  confcienccj  it  will  inftantaneoufly  determine, 

thai 


SERMON      VIII.  t93 

that  we  ought  always  to  follow  its  dilates.  Con- 
fcience  never  fails  to  lay  us  uoder  moral  obliga- 
tion to  regard  its  precepts  and  prohibitions.  If  it 
tells  us,  that  a  certain  mode  of  conduft  is  right,  it 
equally  tells  us,  that  we  ought  to  purfue  it  j  or  if  it 
tell  us  that  a  certain  mode  of  conduft  is  wrong,  it 
equally  tells  us,  that  we  ought  to  avoid  it.  As  con- 
fcience  always  fpeaks  with  equal  authority,  whether 
enlightened  or  unenlightened ;  fo  we  are  always 
bound  to  obey  it,  whether  enlightened  or  unen- 
lightened. There  is  no  propriety,  nor  occafion^ 
to  difpute  the  authority  of  confcience,  fince  k  will 
always  bear  us  out,  in  obeying  its  dilates  from  a 
fincere  intention*  For  if  confcience  ever  dif- 
covers,  that  we  have  fubmitted  to  it  when  it  dic- 
tated wrong;  it  will  juftify  our  cordial  fubraif- 
fion,  and  pronounce  it  an  a8:  of  duty.  It  is,  in- 
deed, impoffible  to  put  a  cafe,  in  which  it  would 
be  right  to  countera6l  confcience.  For,  it  is  ex- 
tremely abfurd  to  fuppofe,  that  we  both  ought 
and  ought  not  to  do  the  fame  a6lion.  If  there 
Could  be  an  inftance,  in  which  we  ought  not  to  obey 
the  di6lates  of  confcience,  it  is  evident,  that  in  fuch 
an  inftance,  we  ought  not  to  follow  any  other  guide. 
To  fuppofe,  therefore,  that  we  ought  not  to  follow 
the  di6lates  of  an  erroneous  confcience,  is  to  fup- 
pofe, that  whenever  our  confcience  becomes  er- 
roneous^ we  ceafe  to  be  under  moral  obligation^ 
and  of  courfe,  ceafe  to  be  moral  agents. 

A  A  4.  It 


194  S    E    R    xM    O    N      Vlir. 

4.  It  appi^ars  from  \vhat  lias  been  faid  upon  t: 
clear  confcieiicc,  that  man  may  be  highly  crimin- 
al' in  doing  thofc  things,  which  they  imagine  con- 
science really  requii'es.  They  often  Confult  con- 
fcience  with  great  partiality.  They  confult  it 
■with  refpe^L  to  their  external  conduft,  without  con-' 
fulting  it  with  refpe6l  to  their  internal  motives.' 
And  in  all  fuch  cafes,  they  may  externally  obey  the 
voice  of  confcience,  while  they  internally  difobey 
It.  This  appears  to  have  been  the  ground  of 
Paul's  deception,  while  he  was  perfecuting  the 
church  of  Chrift.  He  faid  to  Agrippa,  "  I  verily 
thought  with  myfelf  that  I  ought  to  do  many  things 
contrary  to  the  name  of  Jefus  of  Nazareth.  Which 
thing  I  alfo  did  in  Jerufalem :  and  many  of  the 
faints  did  I  fhut  up  in  prifon,  having  received  au- 
thority from  the  chief  priefts ;  and  when  they  were 
put  to  death,  I  gave  my  voice  againft  them.  And  1 
punifhed  them  oft  in  every  fynagogue,  and  compel- 
led them  to  blafpheme  :  and  being  exceedingly  mad 
againft  them,  I  perfecuted  them  even  unto  ftrange 
cities."  While  Paul  was  doing  thefe  things,  his  con- 
fcience fecmcd  to  juftify  his  conduft;  but  it  after- 
wards condemned  him  for  being  fuch  a  vile  and  ma- 
levolent perfecutor.  The  truth  of  the  cafe  appears 
to  be  this.  Paul  confidered  Chrift  as  a  real  im- 
poftor,  and  his  followers  as  deluded  fanatics,  who 
were  endeavoring  to  fubvcrt  the  laws  and  reli- 
gion of  their  country.     And  fo  long  as  he  viewed 

thG«i 


SERMON      VIII. 


195 


them  in  this  light,  he  verily  thought  it  was  his  du- 
ty to  oppofe  and  deftroy  them,  agreeably  to  the 
law  refpefting  idolaters.     But  he  never  conrulte4 
confcience,  with  refpcft  to  the  motives  of  his  con- 
idu6l,  or  the  temper  of  mind  from  which  he  a6led. 
And  this  was  the  fole  caufe  of  his  deception.    Had 
he  enquired  of  confcience,  whether  he  ought  to 
oppofe  and  perfecute  chrillians  from  a  cruel  and 
malevolent  fpirit,  his  confcience  would  have  for- 
bidden  him  to  a6l  from  fuch  a  felfifli  and  malisj- 
nant  heart.     He  deceived  himfelf  by  impofing  up- 
on confcience.     And   moral  finners,  at  this  day, 
deceive   themfelves  in  the  fame   manner.     They 
verily  think  they  are  confcientioufiy  doing  their 
duty,  while  they  are  purfuing  their  honeft  callings, 
and  externally  obeying  the  divine  commands.    They 
have  the   teftimony  of  confcience,  that  they  are 
doing  thofe  things  which  they  ought  to  do.     But 
if  they  would  only  confult  confcience,  with  refpeft 
to   the  fclJiJJi  motives  of  their  conduft,   it  would 
condemn  every  thing  they  do  as  altogether  ciim- 
inal  and  difpleafing  to  God.     It  is,  therefore,  whol- 
ly owing  to  ihe  partial  manner  of  their  confulting 
confcience,  that  they  vainly  imagine  they  are  do- 
ing God  fervice,  while  they  are  living  in  the  hab- 
itual commilTion  of  fin.     This  great  and  danger- 
ous delufion  Solomon  defcribes,  as  a  folemn  warn- 
ing to  all  thofe,  who  are  walking  in  a  ferious  and 
confcientious   road  to  deftruftion.     "  Every  way 

of 


jqS  S   E    R    M    O    N      VIII. 

of  man,  fays  he,  is  right  in  his  o^n  eyes :  but  the 
Lord  pondereth  the  hearis."  And  again  he  fays, 
*' There  is  a  way  thaii  feemeth  right  to  a  man,  but 
the  end  thereof  are  the  zuays  of  death." 

5.    If  confcience   be  entirely  diftinB  from  the 
heart  and  every  other  power  of  the  mind;  then 
linners   grow  worfe  inftead  of  better,  under  the 
ftrivings  of  the   Spirit.     The   Spirit  of  God,  in 
ilriving  with  finners,  only  fets  their  natural  facul- 
ties in  motion,  and  awakens  confcience  to  do  its 
office.     But  while  the  confcience  convinces  fin- 
ners of  their  guilt  and  dangej-,  their  hearts  natural- 
ly rife  in  direB  and  fenfible  oppofition   to   God. 
This  was  the  experience  of  Paul,  under  the  con- 
viQions  of  confcience,   according  to  his  own  ac- 
count.     *' I  had  not  known  fin  but  by   the  law; 
for  I  had  not  known  lull,  except  the  law  had  faid. 
Thou  ilialt  not  covet.     Bxit  fin  taking  occafion  by 
the  commandnnent,  wrought  in  me  all  manner  of  con- 
cupifcence.     For  without  the  law  fin  was  dead. 
For  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once:  but  when 
the   commandment  came,  fin  revived,  and  I  died." 
While  Paul  was  under  the  ftrivings  of  the  Spirit, 
he  not  only  faw  his  paft  finfulnefs ;  but  found  that' 
his  corrupt  heart  took  occafion  from  the  light  and 
conviftion  of  confcience,  to  rife  into  higher  and 
more  fenfible  oppofition  to  God.     Sin  revived,  and 
he  died.     Nor  was   this  a  fingular  cafe.      All  fin- 
lie.'-s  appear  to  thcmfelves  to  fin  fafter  under  con- 

viftion^ 


SERMON      Viri.  197 

viflion,  than  they  ever  did  in  a  (late  of  fpiritual 
Ignorance  and  ftupidity.  And  this  appearance  is 
no  vain  delufion,  but  a  moft  alarming  reality.  For 
the  li^ht  and  convi6lion  of  confcience,  inftead  of 

o 

reftraining  and  foftening  their  hearts,  only  fervc 
to  draw  forth  their  corruptionsj  and  aggravate 
their  guilt.  And  though  an  increafing  fe-nfe  of 
danger  and  guilt,  makes  them  earneftly  feek  to 
pleafe  God,  by  every  outward  aft  of  duty  and  de- 
votion ;  yet  their  hearts  continually  wax  worfc 
and  worfe,  until  they  are  efFeQually  fubdued,  by 
fpecial  grace. 

6.  If  confcience  be  a  diftin6l  and  effcntial  fac- 
ulty of  the  mind;  then  no  finner  is  beyond  the 
reach  of  conviftion.  Some  finners  appear  to  be 
entirely  ftupid,  and  feem  to  bid  defiance  to  the 
arrows  of  convi6lion.  But  though  they  have  fti- 
fled,  yet  they  have  not  deflroyed  confcience,  They 
ftill  carry  that  faithful  witnefs  in  their  breaft,  which 
is  able  to  difcover  all  their  guilt,  and  to  deftroy  all 
their  peace.  God  can  eafily  awaken  their  con- 
fcience to  do  its  office ;  and  whenever  he  does 
command  his  vicegerent  to  fpeak  in  hLs  name,  they 
will  find  themfelves  to  be  in  the  gall  of  bitternefs 
and  bond  of  iniquity.  All  finners,  therefore,  are 
equally  liable  to  conviQion.  Thofe,  who  fin  in 
fecret,  where  they  imagine  no  eye  can  fee  them, 
fire  conftantly  expofed  to  the  reproach  and  con- 
4emnation  of  confcience,  which  alone  is  inftead  of 

a 


j^S  SERMON    VIIL 

a  thoufand  witneffes.  Thofe,  who  deny  the  divin- 
ity of  the  Scriptures,  the  exiftence  of  the  Deity, 
and  even  the  moral  and  immutable  dillinclion  be- 
tween virtue  and  vice,  cannot  always  maintain 
their  crimininal  ftupidity  ;  but  muft  fooner  or 
later  find  themfelves  to  be  men,  and  feel  the  re- 
morfe  of  a  guilty  confcience.  And  thofe,  who 
ftifle  and  impofe  upon  confcience,  by  the  out- 
ward appearances  of  virtue  and  religion,  may  be 
thoroughly  convinced  of  their  real  hypocrify  and 
total  corruption  of  heart.  Though  finners  of  this 
clafs  feem  to  be  the  moft  out  of  the  reach  of  con- 
vi6lion;  yet  they  have  fometimes  been  awakened 
to  fee  their  delulion,  and  to  realize  their  danger 
and  guilt.  Here  Paul  naturally  occurs,  as  a  re- 
markable inftance.  For  a  long  time,  he  deceiv- 
ed and  pacified  confcience,  by  the  purity  of  his 
life.  For,  as  touching  the  righteoufnefs  of  the 
law,  he  was  entirely  blamelefs.  But  when  the 
commandment  came,  fin  revived,  and  he  died. 
His  awakened  confcience  condemned  him,  not 
only  for  his  injurious  conduft  towards  Jefus  of 
Nazareth  and  his  faithful  followers;  but  for  all 
his  fliiiiing  virtues  and  felf-righteoufnef^;,  which 
had  well  nigh  proved  his  ruin.  His  convi6lion 
was  extremely  fudden,  unexpeQed,  and  pungent. 
From  the  higheft  of  falfe  zeal  and  felf- confidence, 
it  threw  him  hclplcfs  and  hopelefs  at  the  foot  of 
divine  fovereignty.     This  is  a  folemn  warning   to 

all 


SERMON      Vr'll.  199- 

all  finncrs,  and  more  efpccially  to  felf-righteous 
finners,  not  to  deceive  and  impofe  upbrt'  con- 
ftienc^.  For  the  longer  they  refill  and  llifle  its 
motions,  the  more  power  they  will  give  it,  to  dif- 
turb  their  peace,  deftroy  their  hopes,  and  fill  their 
fouls  with  infuppoTtable  anguifli  and  diftrefs. 

7.    If  it  be  the  proper  office  of  confcience  to 
reprove  all  evil  exercifes  and  finful  a8ions  ;  then 
it  is  impoflible  that  finners  flioiild  live  an  eafy  and 
quiet  life.     As  they  never  have  a  confcience  void 
of  offence,  fo  they  never  have  a  folid  foundation 
for  inward  peace  and  ferenity  of  mind.     Though 
they  arc  furrounded  with  the  bleflings  of  provi- 
dence, and  enjoy  the  efteem  and  applaufe  of  fal- 
fible  men  ;  yet  they  are  continually  fubjeft  to  in- 
ward   reproach    and    felf  condemnation.       Their 
heart  and  confcience  are  always  at  variance.   And 
though  they  endeavor  to  ftifle  the  voice  of  con- 
fcience, yet  it  often  afTumes  its  fovereign  right,  to 
accufe  and  condemn  them,  in  fpite  of  their  hearts. 
Hence  they  live,  a  mofl  unhappy  and  refllefs  life. 
They  travel  with  pain  all  their  days.     A  dreadful 
found  is  in  their  ears.     A  fire  not  blown  confum- 
eth  them.     In  the  midfl;  of  laughter,  their  hearts 
are  forrowful.     Yea,  there  i>s  no  peace,  faith  my 
God,  to  the  wicked.     They  are  like  the  troubled 
fea,  when  it  cannot  refl:,  whofe  waters  cafl  up  mire 
and  dirt. 

8.  If 


aoo  SERMON     VJIf. 

8.  If  confcience  will  always  approve  of  a  fin* 
cere  and  upright  heart ;  then  thofe  who  live  a  vir- 
tuous and  holy  life,  muft  neceflarily  be  happy* 
Accordingly  we  read,  "A  good  man  fhall  be  fatif- 
fied  from  himfelf."  And  again,  "  The  ways  of 
wifdom  are  ways  of  pleafantnefs,  and  all  her  paths 
are  peace."  Thofe  who  live  in  the  pra6lice  of  vir- 
tue and  religion,  have  a  confcience  void  of  of- 
fence, which  yields  them  that  peace,  which  the 
world  cannot  give,  and  which  the  world  cannot 
take  away.  Though  the  Apoftles  and  primitive 
chriftians  were  generally  defpifed  and  oppofed; 
yet  they  found  a  perpetual  fource  of  comfort  and 
joy  in  the  peace  and  approbation  of  their  own  con- 
fcience. And  if  we  only  live  the  fame  holy  and 
devout  life  which  they  lived,  we  may  alfo  humbly 
and  confidently  fay  as  they  faid  :  "Our  rejoicing 
is  this,  the  teftimony  of  our  confcience,  that  in  fim- 
plicity  and  godly  fincerity,  not  with  flefhly  wif- 
dom, but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  our  con* 
Verfation  in  the  world."     Amen. 


SER  M  O  M 


SERMON     IX. 

Man's  Aftivity  and  Depend- 
ence illuftrated  and  recon- 
ciled. 

— -^ — x\xxx:x;x«0"®»«®»xxo<XsX;<— — 
Philippians   II.   12,  13. 

fTory^  ot«^  yaur  own  falvation,  with  fear  and  trembling. 
For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  yon,  both  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  good  pleafure, 

X  HOUGH  a  perfe6l  harmony  runs  through 
all  the  do6lrines  of  the  gofpel;  yet  to  difcover  and 
point  out  this  harmony,  is,  in  many  cafes,  a  very 
arduous  tafk  to  perform.  It  is  extremely  difficult 
to  reconcile  many  truths  with  each  other^  which, 
feparately  and  independently  confidered,  are  plain 
and  obvious  to  every  perfon.  To  efcape  this  dif- 
ficulty the  preachers  of  the  gofpel  too  often  treat 
fome  of  the  moft  important  articles  of  chriftianity, 
in  a  manner  totally  disjointed  sind  uncon.ne6ted. 
U  s  When 


202  S    E    R    M    O    N     IX. 

When  they  confider  the  doftrine  of  juflificatfoff 
by  faith  in  Chrift,  they  Aide  over  the  duty  of  uni- 
veiTal  obedience  to  the  divine  commands.  When 
they  treat  of  the  renovation  of  the  heart,  they  de- 
cline inculcating  the  obligation  of  finners  to  repent 
and  believe  the  gofpel.  And  when  they  han,dle 
the  fubjeB:  of  divine  agency  upon  the  hearts  of  be- 
lievers, they  avoid  urging  the  praftice  of  thofe 
virtues  and  graces,  v^hich  flow  from  the  fanflify- 
ing  influences  of  the  divine  Spirit.  But  the  in- 
fpired  Apoftles  adopt  a  different  mode  of  inftruc- 
lion.  They  reprcfent  the  doftrines  of  the*  gofpel 
in  their  proper  and  intimate  conne6lion,  in  order 
to  place  them  in  the  moil  clear  and  advantageous 
light.  This  appears  in  the  words  I  have  read, 
*'  Work  out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling. For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you,  both 
to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafure."  Here  the 
Apoftle  lays  before  us,  at  one  view,  both  human 
(iBivity  and  human  dependence^  and  reprefents  them 
as  perfe6lly  harmonious  and  conliftent.  For  he 
confiders  believers,  to  whom  he  is  fpeaking,  a's  be- 
ing able  to  aft  in  the  mofl  free  and  voluntary  man- 
ner, while  they  are  afted  upon  by  the  immediate 
power  and  energy  of  the  divine  Being.  It  is  evi- 
dent, therefore,  that  he  intended  to  affert  this  gen- 
eral truth  : 

That  faints  both  a&  and  are  aHed  upon  by  a  divine 
operation^  in  all  their  holy  and  virtxmis  exercifes. 

It 


SERMON      IX,  203 

It  is  the  defign  of  the  enfuing  difcourfe  to  make 
«t  appear,  that  this  fentiment  is  plainly  contained 
an  the  Word  of  God;  and  then  to  inquire,  why 
it  is  fuppofed  to  be  inconfiftent  and  abfiird. 

The  point  propofed  might  be  argued  from  the 
mere  light  of  nature.  It  is  the  diOate  of  right 
reafon,  that  no  created  being  is  capable  of  afting 
independently.  Univerfal  and  abfolute  depend- 
ence goes  into  the  very  idea  of  a  creature  ;  be- 
Caufe  independence  is  an  attribute  of  the  divine 
nature,  which  even  omnipotence  cantiot  communi- 
cate. And  fince  faints  are  creatures,  and  creatures 
ioo  of  an  inferior  order,  they  can  never  zQ.  other- 
wife,  than  under  the  powerful  and  unremitting  en- 
ergy of  the  Supreme  Being.  But  not  to  infifl  on 
this  argument,  I  proceed  to  adduce  evidence  from 
Scripture,  that  faints  both  aft  and  are  a6led  upon 
by  a  divine  operation,  in  all  their  holy  and  virtu- 
ous exercifes. 

Paul  tells  us,  "  We  are  not  fuffici.^nt  of  our- 
felves  to  think  any  thing  as  of  ourfelves;  but  our 
fufficiency  is  of  God."  Solomon  ufes  a  fimilar 
mode  of  exprellion,  "  The  preparations  of  the 
heart  in  man,  and  the  anfwerof  the  tongue  is  from 
the  Lord."  The  Church  exprefles  the  fame  fen- 
timent in  her  petition  to  Chriil.  "Draw  me,  we 
Avill  run  after  thee."  This  idea  is  contained  in  that 
divine  pro'mife  made  to  Chrift  :  "  Thy  people  fhall 
be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power."    David  fays, 

«  I 


204  S   E   R    U    O    N      IX. 

"  I  will  run  the  way  of  thy  commandments,  when 
thou  fhalt  enlarge  my  heart."  And  agreeably  to 
this  he  prays,  "  Let  the  words  of  my  mouth,  and 
the  meditation  of  my  heart,  be  acceptable  in  thy 
fight,  O  Lord,  my  Jlrength,  and  my  redeemer." 
The  Apoftle,  impreffed  with  a  fenfe  of  his  abfolute 
dependence,  fays,  "  I  can  do  all  things  through 
Chrift  which  ftrengtheneth  me."  And  he  intro- 
duces Aratus  one  of  the  Heathen  Poets,  who  pro- 
claims with  the  voice  of  nature,  that  "  in  God  we 
live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being." 

If  we  now  take  a  particular  view  of  the  feveral 
graces  and  virtues,  in  the  exercife  of  which  faint-s 
■work  out  their  own  falvation,  we  fhall  find  that 
they  always  a6l  under  the  powerful  influence  of 
the  divine  Spirit. 

To  begin  with  their  firft  holy  exercifes,  the  Scrip- 
ture reprefents  them  as  afting  and  being  a61ed 
upon,  in  their  regeneration  or  converfion.  This 
great  change  is  mentioned  under  a  variety  of  fig- 
upes  and  modes  of  expreflion.  It  is  called  the  cir- 
cumcifion  of ^he  heart,  and  as  fuch  afcribed  both 
to  God  and  the  creature.  On  the  creature's  part, 
it  is  commanded  as  a  duty.  "  Circumcife  there- 
fore the  forell^Lin  of  your  heart,  and  be  no  more 
fliff-necked."  But  as  the  aft  of  God,  it  is  prom- 
ifed  as  a  bleffing.  "The  Lord  thy  God  will  cir- 
cumcife thine  heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  feed,  to 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thine  heart,  and 

wii4i 


S   E   R   M   O    N      IX.  205 

Vith  all  thy  foul,  that  thchi  mayefl  live."  The 
making  of  a  new  heart  is  both  enjoined  as  a  duty 
and  promifed  as  a  favor.  The  injunftion  is,  "Call 
away  from  you  all  your  tranfgreflions,  whereby 
ye  have  tranfgrefled,  and  make  yoH  a  new  heart, 
and  a  new  fpirit."  But  the  pcomife  is,  "Then 
will  I  fprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  (hall 
be  clean — a  new  heart  alfo  will  I  give  you,  and 
a  new  fpirit  will  I  put  within  you  :  and  I  will  take 
away  the  ilony  heart  out  of  your  flefli,  and  I  will 
give  you  an  heart  of  flefh.  And  I  will  put  my  fpir- 
it within  you,  and  caufe  you  to  walk  in  my  ftatutes." 
The  fpiritual  refurredion  is  reprefented  as  the 
work  of  God  and  the  duty  of  the  finper.  The  A- 
poftle  confiders  it  as  the  work  of  God,  when  he 
tells  believers,  "  You  hath  he  quickened  who  were 
dead  in  trefpafles  and  fins."  But  God  commands 
the  finner  to  arife  from  fpiritual  death.  "  Where- 
fore he  faith,  Awake  thou  that  fleepeft  and  rife 
from  the  dead,  and  Chrift  fhall  give  thee  light." 
The  new  creation  is  reprefented  a*  the  work  of 
man  as  well  as  the  work  of  God.  In  one  place, 
the  Apoflle  fpeaking  in  the  name  of  chriftians,  fay,?, 
"  We  are  his  workmanfhip  created  in  Chrift  Je- 
fus  unto  good  works."  But  in  another  place,  he 
enjoins  this  new  creation  as  a  duty.  "  Put  off 
concerning  the  former  convcrfation,  the  old  man, 
which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lufts, 
5jid  be  renewed  in  the  fpirit  of  your  minds;  and 

that 


$0$  S    E    R    M   O    N    IX. 

that  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  i» 
created  in  righteoufnefs  and  true  holinefs."  The 
turning  from  fin  unto  God  is  fometimes  repre- 
fented  as  arifing  from  a  divine  operation,  and 
fojnetimes  as  owing  to  human  exertion.  As  a  di- 
vine operation  David  prays  for  it  repeatedly  in  the 
eightieth  Pfalm.  "Turn  us  again,  O  God,  and 
caufe  thy  lace  to  fhine  ;  and  we  fhall  be  faved. 
Turn  us  again,  O  God  of  hoih,  and  caufe  thy 
face  to  fhine  ;  and  we  fhall  be  faved."  Ephraim 
prays  in  the  fame  language  for  himfelf.  "  Turn 
thou  me,  and  I  fhall  be  turned."  And  the  proph- 
et Jeremiah  cries,  «  1'urn  thou  us  unto  thee^ 
O  Lord,  and  we  fhall  be  turned."  But  God  ex- 
prefsly  requires  finners  to  return  unto  him,  of 
their  own  accord.  By  Ifaiah  he  fays,  "  Let  the 
wicked  forfake  his  ways  and  the  unrighteous  man 
his  thoughts :  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord, 
and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our 
God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  And  by 
Ezekiel  he  urges  the  fame  duty  upon  finners, 
"  Turn  ye,  turn  ye  :  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  houfe 
of  Ifrael.?" 

Love,  the  full  and  nobleft  of  all  the  chriftian 
graces,  is  required  as  a  duty,  and  yet  placed  among 
the  gifts  of  the  Spirit.  David  calls  upon  good 
men  to  love  God.  "  O  love  the  Lord  all  ye  his 
faints,"  And  he  refolves  to  exercife  the  fame  af- 
fedion.    « I  will  love  thee,  O  Lord,  my  flrength." 

But 


SERMON     IX.  £07 

But  the  Apoftle  (ells  us,  that  love  is  of  God,  and 
the  produaion  of  his  Spirit.     "Becaufe  the  love 
of  God  is  fhed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  which  is  given  unto  us."     Repentance,  an- 
other holy  exercife,  is  reprefented  as  the  gift  of 
God  and  the  aft  of  the  penitent.     Timothy  is  di- 
refted,  *'  in  meeknefs  to  inftruft  thofe  v^ho  oppofc 
ihemfelves  ;  if  God  peradventure  will  give  them 
repentance,   to  the  acknowledging  of  the   truth.'* 
Yet  the  ApoHle  tells  us,  "  God  now  commandeth 
all  men  every  where  to  repent,"     Chrift  declares, 
*'He  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  finners 
to  repentance."     Notwiihflanding  this  we  are  told, 
*«  Him  hath  God  exalted  to  give  repentance  and 
remiffion  of  fins."     Though  faith  in  Chrift  be  re- 
quired, yet  it  is  reprefented  as  the  effeO;  of  a  di- 
vine operation.      When  the  Jews  demanded  of 
Chrift,  "What  fhall  we  do  that  we  may  work  the 
works  of  God  ?     Jefus  anfwcred  and   faid  unto 
them,  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on 
him  whom  he  hath  fent."     But  the  Apoftle   tells 
believers,  "  By  grace  are  ye  faved,  through  faith ; 
and  that  not  of  yourfelves :  it  is  the  gift  of  God." 
And  fuggefts  the  fame  idea,  by  reminding  them, 
that  "they  were  rifen  with  Chrift,  through  the  faith 
of  the  operation  of  God."    Coming  to  Chrift,  which 
is  indeed  the   fame  as  believing  in  him,  is  repre- 
fented as  the  exercife  of  the  finner,  while  under 
the  influence  of  a  divine  operation.     "No  man 

can 


2o3  SERMON       IX. 

can  come  unto  me,  except  the  Father,  which  hath 
fent  me,  draw  him."     Thus  faints  are  reprefented 
as  aQually  loving,  repenting,  believing,  and  com- 
ing to  Chrift,  under  the  agency  of  the  divine  Spirit. 
And  we  mud  further  obferve,  that  they  are  re- 
prefented as  exercifing  not  only  thefe,  but  all  oth- 
er graces  and  virtues,  in  the  fame  manner.     It  is 
faid,  "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace, 
long-fufFering,  gentknefs,  goodnefs,  faith,  meek- 
nefs."     Nevenhelefs,  we  find  thefe  frwits  of  the 
Spirit   required   as  chriftian   duties.     "Giving  all 
diligence,"  fays  the  Apoftle  Peter,  "  add  to  your 
faith    virtue,   and    to  virtue   knowledge,  and    to 
knowledge   temperance,  and  to    temperance   pa- 
tience, and  to  patience  godlinefs,  and  to  godlinefs 
brotherly  kindnefs,  and  to  brotherly  kindnefs  char- 
ity."    And  the  Apoflle  Paul  gives  a  fmiilar  exor- 
tation  to  chriftians.     "  Finally,  brethren,  whatfo- 
cver  things  are  true,  whatfoever  things  are  honeft, 
whatfoever  things  are  juft,  whatfoever  things  are 
pure,   whatfoever  things  are    lovely,   whatfoever 
things  are  of  good  report,  if  there  be  any  virtue, 
and  if  there  be  any  praife,  think  on  thefe  things." 
In  a  word,  good  men  are  reprefented  as  turning 
from  fin  unto  God;  as  making  themfelves  a  new 
heart;  as  raifing  themfclves  from   fpiritual  death; 
as  exercifing  love,  repentance,  faith,  fubmifTion, 
and  every   other   chriftian   grace  ;  as   perfevering 
in  holinefs,  enduring  unto  the  eijd.  and  being  faith- 
ful 


S    E    R    M    O    N      IXa 


3P9 


Sill  unto  death  :  aiid  yet  they  arc  reprefentcd  as 
doing  all  ihofe  things,  by  virtue  of  a  divine  inHu- 
ence  upon  their  minds.  God  is  reprefentcd  as  be- 
ginning the  good  work  in  them;  as  carrying  it  orx 
until  the  day  of  Jefus  Chrift  >  and  as  keeping  them 
by  his  mighty  power  through  faith  unto  falvation. 
All  this  is  fully  comprized  in  the  text.  "Work 
out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling. 
For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will 
and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafurc." 
'  Finally,  the  do6lrinc  under  confideralion  is  con- 
firmed, by  all  the  commands  in  the  Bible^  and  by 
the  prayers  of  all  good  men.  Every  commandj 
which.  God  has  given  to  men,  plainly  fuppofes, 
that, they  are  moral  agents,  who  are  capable  o£ 
a8:ing  freely  in  the  view  of  motives;  becaufe  a 
command  could  have  no  more  influence,  or  lay 
no  more  obligation  upon  men,  than  upon  flocks  or 
ftones,  were  men  incapable  of  feeing  the  nature, 
and  of  a6ling  under  the  power,  of  motives.  As  all 
the  commands  in  the  Bible,  therefore,  require 
men  to  put  forth  fome  motion,  fome  exercife,  fome 
exertion  either  of  body,  or  of  mind,  or  of  both; 
fo  they  necefTarily  fuppofe,  that  men  are,  in  the 
ftricleft  fenfe  of  the  word,  moral  agents,  and  Capa- 
ble of  yielding  a6live  voluntary,  rational  obedi- 
ence to  the  will  of  God.  But  yet  the  prayers  of 
all  good  men  equally  fuppofe,  that  they  muft  be 
a8:ed  upon  by  a  divine  operation,  in  all  their  vir- 
C  c  tuous 


21 0 


SERMON       IX. 


tuous  exercifes  and  aQions.  For  when  tbey  pray 
for  themfelves,  that  God  would  give  them  joy, 
peace,  love,  faith,  fubmiflion,  or  ftrengthcn  and 
increafe  thefc  and  all  other  chriftian  graces ;  their 
prayers  prcfuppofe  the  neceffity  of  a  divine  oper- 
ation upon  their  hearts,  in  all  their  gracious  exer- 
cifes and  exertions.  And  when  they  pray  for  the 
world  in  general,  that  God  would  fupprefs  vice 
and  irreligion  every  where,  convince  and  convert 
finners,  comfort  and  edify  faints,  and  fpread  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom  through  the  earth;  their 
prayers  are  founded  in  the  belief,  that  God  mufl 
work  in  men  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleafure.  Such  clear  and  abundant  evidence  the 
Bible  gives  us,  that  faints  both  aft  and  are  afted 
upon  by  a  divine  operation,  in  all  their  holy  and 
virtuous  exercifes. 

But  ftill  wc  find  many,  who  confider  this  fciip- 
'Itiral  doftrine  as  a  grofs  abfurdity,  or  at  leaft,  as 
the  Gordian  knot  in  divinity,  which,  inftead  of 
untying,  they  violently  cut  afunder ;  and  fo  make 
a  facrifice  either  of  aftivity,  or  of  dependence. 
Some  give  up  atlivity  for  the  fake  of  dependence  ; 
fome  give  up  dependence  for  the  fake  of  aftivity; 
and  fome  firft  give  up  one  and  then  the  other, 
for  the  fake  of  maintaining  both.  The  FataliPis 
give  up  activity  for  the  (like  of  dependence.  They 
fuppofe  men  are  totally  dependent  and  conftantly 
a6ted  upon  as  mere  machines;  and  of  confcquence 

are 


SERMON     4X.  fii^ 

are  not  free  agents.     The  Arminians,  on  the  other 
hand,  give  up  dependence  for  the  fake  of  aQivity, 
They  fuppofe  men  have  a  felf-determining  power> 
or  a  power  to  originate  their  own  volitions,  and 
are  capable  of  a6ling  independently  of  any  divine 
operation  upon   their  hearts.     But  many  of  the 
Calvinifls  endeavor  to  fleer  a  middle  courfe  be- 
tween thefe  two  extremes,  and  fir  ft  give  up  a8ivi- 
ty  and  then  dependence,  in  order  to  maintain  both. 
They  hold,  that  men  are  aElive  both  before  and  af- 
ter regeneration,  but  pajjivc  in  regeneration  itfelf. 
Thefe  three  claffes  of  men,  however  they  may  dif- 
fer in  other  refpcfts,  feem  to  agree  in  this,  that  no 
man  can  aft  freely  and  virtuoufly,  while  he  is  a6t- 
ed  upon  by  a  divine  operation ;  and  accordingly 
unite  in  pronouncing  the  doftrine,  which  we  have 
been  labouring  to  eftablifli,  inconfiftent  and  abfurd. 
This  naturally  leads  us  to  inquire, 

In  the  fecond  place,  why  atlivity  and  depend- 
ence are  fo  generally  fuppofed  to  be  inconfiftent 
with  each  other. 

If  faints  do  indeed  work  out  their  own  falvation 
with  fear  and  trembling  under  a  divine  operation^ 
as  has  been  perhaps  fufficiently  proved  ;  then  this 
doctrine  cannot  be  fuppofed  to  be  inconfiftent  and 
abfurd,  becaufc  it  is  fo  in  its  own  nature.  If  it  be 
true,  it  muft  be  confiftent,  whether  we  can  difcov-^ 
cr  ks  confiftency  or  not. 

Nor, 


J512  SERMON       IX. 

Nor,  in  the  next  place,  can  any  fuppofe  this  doc- 
trine is  inconfiftent  and  abfurd,  becaufe  it  is  inoie 
difficult  to  apprehend  and  explain,  than  many  oth- 
tr  do6lrines  of  natural  and  revealed  relieion.    Who 
can  conceive  or  explain  how  the  Supreme   Being 
exifts  of  himfelf  ?  or  Aoryhe  fupports  the  univerfe  ? 
or  hozu  he  fills  all  places,  and  furveys  all  objefts, 
at  one  and  the  fame  time  ?  But  who,  except  Athe- 
ifts  and  Sceptics,  will  prefume  to  deny  thefe  truths, 
or  venture  to  call  them  inconfiftent  and  abfurd  ? 
Why,  then,  fliould  any  fuppofe  there  is  the  leaft 
abfurdity  in  men's  working  out  their  own  falvation 
with  fear  and  trembling,  while   God,  at  the  fame 
time,  works  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do"  of  his 
good  pleaiure  ?  It  is  as  eafy  to  conceive  of  this, 
as  to  conceive  of  the  divine  exiftence,  omnipref- 
ence,  or  univerfal  providence.     In   all  cafes  of 
this  nature,  the  fa61s  are  plain  and  intelligible,  but 
the  manner  of  their  exiftence  or  produ6lion  is 
truly  myfterious.     Our  own  exiftence  is  felf-evi- 
dent;  but  howwe  were  formed  is  to  us  a  profound 
myftery.     Our  conftant  dependence  on  the  Deity 
for  the  continuation   of  exiftence,  is  capable  of 
ftrift    demonftration  ;    but  how  God  upholds   us 
every  moment,  we  are  utterly  unable  to  explain. 
So  our  dependence  on  the  Deity  to  work  in  us  both 
to  will  and  to  do,  is  equally  demonftrable  ;  but 
bow  God  operates  on  our  minds  in  our  free  and 
voluntary  exercifes,  we  are  equally  unable  to  com- 
prehend. 


SERMON      IX.  213 

prehend.  There  is,  therefore,  no  mere  myftery 
in  this  doclrine,  than  in  every  objeft  we  fee,  or 
every  found  we  hear,  or  every  breath  we  draw. 
The  fabjefl  before  us,  may  be  involved  in  more 
difficulties  than  fome  other  fubjeQs,  which  have 
been  lefs  examined  and  controverted ;  but  there 
is  a  wide  difference  between  difficulties  and  myjleries. 
Though  we  can  never  remove  myjleries^  yet  we  can 
fometimes  remove  difficulties.  And  when  the  dif- 
ficulties are  removed  from  a  difficult  fubje6l,  it 
then  becomes  plain  and  intelligible.  Many  points 
in  Phyfic  and  Philofophy,  which  were  once  attend- 
ed with  great  difficulties,  are  now  become  eafy 
and  familiar  to  the  mafters  of  thofe  fciences.  And 
nothing  further  is  neceffary  to  render  the  fubje6l 
of  man's  dependence  and  aflivity  level  to  every 
one's  apprehenfion,  than  to  remove  the  difficul- 
ties, with  which  it  has  been  embarraffisd,  by  the 
tongue  and  pen  of  controverfy. 

It  may  be  proper  to  obferve,  once  more,  that 
none  can  fuppofe  this  doQrine  to  be  inconfiftent, 
becaufe  they  have  found  it  to  be  fo,  by  their  own 
experience.  To  believers  we  make  the  appeal. 
Did  you  ever  feel  the  lead  inconfiftency  between 
aflivity  and  dependence  ?  Did  you  ever  perceive 
the  divine  agency  to  obftru£l  your  own  ?  Did  you 
ever  find  your  moral  powers  fufpended  in  regen- 
€ration,  in  love  to  God,  in  repentance,  in  faith,  or 
in  any  other  holy  affe6lion  ?  Were  you  ever  con- 

fcious 


414  SERMON    IX- 

fcious  of  being  lefs  able  to  grow  in  grace,  and  to 
work  out  your  own  falvalion  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling, becaufe  God  wrought  in  you  both  to  will 
and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafure  ?  Should  you  all 
fpeak  the  language  of  your  own  experience  upon 
this  fubjedjwe  prefume  you  would  with  one  voice 
declare,  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  never  dellroy- 
ed,  nor  even  obftruBed,  your  liberty. 

The  queftion  now  returns,  why  is  it  fo  general- 
ly fuppofed,  that  man's  a£livity  and  dependence  are 
totally  irreconcilable  ?  I  anfwer,  this  may  be  chief- 
ly or  wholly  owing  to  the  following  reafons, 

1.    Some  may  fuppofe,  that  human  dependence 
and  aO-ivity  cannot  be  reconciled,  becaufe  they 
are  unwilling  to  fee  the  confiflency  of  a  doftrine, 
which   throws  them  abfolutely  into  the   hands  of 
God.     The  Apoftle  evidently  fuggefts  this  idea, 
tvhen  he  introduces  a  man  difputing  his  depend- 
ence with  his  Maker.     "  Thou  wilt  then  fay  unto 
me,  why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ?   for  who  hath  refift- 
ed  his  will  ?    Nay  but,  O  man,  who  art  thou  that 
replieft  againft  God  ?    fhall  the  thing  formed  fay 
unto  him  that  formed  it,  why  hall  thou  made  me 
thus  ?"    Many  choofe  to  deny,  that  they  are  moral 
agents,  rather  than  to  own,  that  they  are   depend- 
ent agents,  who  are  obhgcd  to  a6l  under  the  con- 
trolling influence  of  the  Supreme   Being.     They 
wilh  either  to  enjoy  dependence  without  freedom, 
or  freedom  without  dependence;  and,  therefore, 
I  they 


SERMON     IX.  215 

they  will  not,  if  they  can  poflibly  help  it,  fee  that 
harmony  between  both,  which  places  them  in  a  fit- 
uation  fo  extremely  intcrefling  and  hazardous. 

2.    Some  may  fuppofe,  that  dependence  cannot 
be  reconciled  withaftivityjbecaufe  they  are  cc^z/czoz^j 
of  being  aBive^  but  not  of  being  dependent.   '  This 
is  a  ftronghold,in  which  many  intrench  themfelves, 
and   feel  entirely  out  of   the  reach  of   all   argu- 
ments, in  favor  of  a  divine   operation  upon  the 
hearts  of  moral  agents.     They  appeal  to  common- 
fenfe  as  an  infcillible  proof,  that  men  a8;  freely  and 
voluntarily,  without  feeling  the  Icaft  compulfion, 
or  influence  from  the  hand  of  God.     It  is  undoubt- 
edly ttue,  that  we  are  all  coufcious  of  aQivity,  and 
intuitively  know  that  we  are  free  moral  agents.    But 
to  what  does  this  dictate  of  common  fenfe  amount? 
Does  it  prove,   that  we  are  not  dependent   upon 
the  Supreme  Being  for  all   our  moral  exercifes  ? 
Mod  certainly  it. does  not.      For,  fuppofing  God 
does  really  work  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  we 
cannot  be   confcious  of  his  agency,  but  only  of 
Our  own,  \n  willing  and  doing.     Though  in  God 
we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being ;   yet  we 
are  never    confcious  of  his  almighty  hand,  which 
Upholds  us  in  exiftence,  every  moment.     It  i^  in-v 
deed,  as  impoflible,  that  we  fliould  fed  the  opera- 
tion of  God  upon  our  hearts,  while  he  works  in  us, 
both  to  will  and  to  do,  as  it  was,  that  Adam  fliould 
have  fell  the  forming  hand  of  God;  in  his  crea- 
tion. 


2i6  SERMON       IX. 

tion.  If  Adam,  therefore,  could  not  have  prov- 
ed, from  his  experience,  that  he  was  felf-exiftent; 
we  cannot  pcove.  from  our  experience,  that  we*  are 
independent,  in  all  our  free  and  voluntary  exer- 
tions. Hence  our  confcioufnefs  of  moral  fretdom,  is 
no  evidence  againft  our  abfolute  dependence  up- 
on God,,  for  all  the  inward  motions  and  exercifes 
of  our  hearts. 

3»  Many,  by  reafohing  unjuftly  on  this  fiibjeft, 
perfuade  themfelves,  that  they  cannot  a8:,  while 
they  are  aded  upon.  They  reafon  from  matter  to 
mind,  which  is  by  no  means  concluflve.  Since 
matter  is  incapable  of  a^ing,  while  it  is  a6led  up- 
on, they  conclude  the  raiad  muft  alfo  be  incapa- 
ble of  ading,  while  it  is  a6led  upon.  They  fup- 
pofe,  if  we  are  as  dependent  upon  God  for  all  our 
voluntary  exercifes,  as  a  clock  or  watch  is  de=^ 
pendent  upon  weights  or  fprings  for  all  its  mo- 
tions; then  we  are  as  incapable  of  moral  agency, 
as  thefe  or  any  other  mere  machines.  But  the  fal- 
lacy of  this  mode  of  reafoning  may  be  eafily  ex- 
pofed.  The  fallacy  lies  here.  It  takes  for  grant- 
ed, that  the  only  reafon,  why  a  clock,  or  a  watch, 
or  any  other  machine,  is  not  a  moral  agent,  is  fim- 
ply  becaufe  it  is  aHed  upon^  or  depends  upon  fome 
power  out  of  itfelf  for  all  its  motions.  But  is  this 
true  ?  Let  us  njake  the  trial.  Suppofe  a  clock, 
which  has  hitherto  been  dependent,  and  moved  by 
v/eights  anc^  wheels,  fhould  this  moment  become 

«  independent^ 


i;    R    M    O    N     IX. 


217 


mdependentf  and  7nove  of  itjdf.  Is  this  clock,  now, 
any  more  a  moral  agent,  than  it  was  before  ?  Are 
its  motions,  now,  any  more  moral  exercifes,  or  any* 
more  worthy  of  praife  or  blame,  than  they  were 
before  ?  By  no  means.  But  why  not  ?  Becaufe, 
notwithftanding  it  is,  now,  independent,  and  moves 
of  itfelf ;  yet  being  ftill  matter  and  not  mind^  it 
moves  without  perception,  reafon,  confcience,  and 
volition,  which  are  attributes  effential  to  a  mOral 
agent.  The  reafon,  why  a  clock,  or  watch,  or  any 
other  machine  is  incapable  of  mc?^/ agency,  is  not 
becaufe  it  is  either  dependent^  or  independent ;  but 
fimply  becaufe  it  is  fenfelefs  matter,  and  totally 
deftitute  of  all  the  principles  of  wor^/ a61ion.  As 
neither  dependence  nor  independence  can  make 
a  machine  a"  mind  ;  fo  neither  dependence  nar  in- 
depence  can  make  a  mind  a  machine.  It  is  im- 
pertinent, therefore,  to  reafon  from  matter  to  mind, 
upon  this  fubjeft.  Our  dependence  on  the  Deity 
cannot  deprive  us  of  7?zor(a'/ freedom,  unlefs  it  de- 
prives us  of  our  moral  powers.  If  God,  while 
working  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  only  leaves 
ns  in  poiTeffion  of  underftanding,  concience,  and 
volition;  then  he  leaves  us  in  full  pofleffion  of 
moral  agency,  which  muft  neceflarily  continue,  as 
long  asthefe  intelleftual  and  moral  powers  remain. 
Indeed,  there  is  nothing,  in  the  whole  circle  of. 
created  objefts,  which  aifords  any  argument  to 
prove,  that  man's  dependence  deflroys  his  moral 
P  D  agency. 


2i8l  SERMON       IX. 

a<rency.     There  is  no  argument  to  be  drawn  frons 
material  obje6ts  to  prove  this ;  becaufe  they   are 
entirely  deftitute  of  all  mental  properties.     And 
there  is  no  argument  to  be  drawn  from  intelligent 
obJe6ls  to  prove  ibis;  becaufe  there  is  no  fpecies 
of  intelligent   creattrres   that  we   are    acquainted 
with,  who  are  lefs  dependent  on  God  for  all  their 
mental  exercifes,  than  we  are.     Hence  it  appears 
to  be  abfofutely  impoffible  for  any  to  prove,  that 
human   dependence  and  aftivity  are  inconfiftent 
with  each  other.     But  I  muft  obferve  ofice  more, 
4.  That  fonie  involve  themfelves  in  confufion, 
by  reafoning  too  far  upon  this  fubje6l.     They  car- 
ry Reafon  out  of  lis  province,  and  employ  it  m 
deciding  that,  which  it  has  no  power  nor  alithor- 
ity  to  decide.     Many  complain,  that  they  have  of- 
ten attempted  to  reconcile  dependence  with  a8ivi- 
ty,  but  after  all  their  efforts,  have  been  obliged 
to  give  up  the  fubje6t,  as  furpaffing  the  reach  of 
their  comprehenfion.     And  to  keep  themfelves  in 
countenance,  they  bring  in  Mr.  Locke,  that  oracle 
of  reafon,  who  ingenioufly  owns,  that  he  could 
never    reconcile    prefcience   in    the    Deity    witfi 
human  liberty ;  or,  in  other  words,  man's  depend- 
ence  with  moral   freedom.     This,  however,  will 
not  appear  ftrange,  if  we  confider,  that  it  belongs 
not  to  the  office  of  Reafon,  to  reconcile  thefe  two 
points.      Though   a6livity,   and  dependence  are 
perfe6lly  confiftent,  yet  they  are  totally  diftinQ:; 

and 


SERMON      IX, 


2*9 


and  of  courfe  fall  under  the  notice  of  diftinft  fac- 
ulties of  the  mind.  Dependence  falls  under  the 
cognizance  of  reafon;  but  a6livity  falls  under  the 
cognizance  of  common  fenfe.  It  is  rhe  part  of 
reafon  to  demonftrate  our  dependence  upon  God, 
in  whom  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being. 
But  it  is  the  part  of  common  fenfe  to  afford  uc  an 
intuitive  knowledge  of  our  a6livity  and  moral  free- 
dom. We  muft,  therefore,  confult  both  reafon 
and  common  fenfe,  in  order  to  difcover  the  con- 
fiftency  between  aftivity  and  dependence. 

Nor  is  this  a  fingular  cafe.  There  are  many  oth- 
er fubjeBs,  upon  which  we  can  form  no  proper 
judgment,  without  the  united  aid  of  reafon  and 
common  fenfe.  Should  I  obferve  to  a  perfon 
walking  with  me  in  a  garden,  that  a  certain  flower 
Js  the  produft  of  divine  power,  and  poffefles  a 
beautiful  color;  and  fiiould  he  call  upon  me  to 
prove  my  aflertions,  I  ftiould  be  obliged  to  have 
recourfe  fiift  to  reafon,  and  then  to  common  fenfe. 
I  could  prove,  by  reafon,  that  the  flower  was  the 
produ6l  of  divine  power ;  but  as  to  its  color,  I 
could  only  refer  him  to  the  evidence  of  his  own 
eyes.  If  I  fhould  fee  a  fervant  deftroy  his  maf- 
ter's  property,  I  could  prove  to  him,  by  reafon. 
that  he  had  injured  his  mailer;  but  I  could  not 
prove  to  him,  by  reafon,  that  he  had  broken  a 
moral  obligation  and  committed  a  crime.  I  could 
enly  reprefent  the  nature  and  e^ctcnt  of  the  injury 

which 


220  SERMON       IX. 

which  he  had  done  to  his  mafter,  by  this  inftance 
of  his  conduft,  and  then  refer  him  to  the  dictates 
of  his  own  confcience;  and  if  he  fliould  ftil!  con- 
tinue unconvinced  of  his  criminality,  it  would  be 
out  of  my  power  to  give  him  conviBion;  by  any 
arguments  drawn  from  reafon.     You  may  read  a 
fine  poem,  and  your  reafon  may  difcover  the  uni- 
ty of  defign,  the  connexion  of  parts,  and  the  reg- 
ular conftru6lion  of  periods;  but,  if  at  the  fame 
time,  you  perceive  the  harmony  of  numbers,  the 
fublimity  of  fentiments,  and  the  beauty  of  charac^ 
ters,  this  is  not  owing  to  any  peculiar  intelleflual 
acumen,  but  to  a  corre6l  tafte,  or  the  finer  feel- 
ings of  human  nature,  well  cultivated  and  improv- 
ed.    Thefe  inflances  clearly  fhow,  that  reafon  and 
common  fenfe  have  different  offices,  and  are  to  be 
employed  in  difcovering   different    truths.     It  is 
not  very  ftrange,  therefore,  that  we  are  obliged  to 
employ  both  reafon  and  common  fenfe,  irt  order 
to  reconcile    aftivity  and  dependence.      Nor  is 
there  any  ground  to  imagine,  that  their  confiften- 
cy  with  each  other  is  Icfs  certain^  becaufe  it  cannot 
be  difcovered,  by  reafon  alone,  nor  common  fenfe 
alone,  but  by  the  united  affiflance  of  both.      For 
if  we  know  by  reafon  that  we  are  dependent^   and 
know  by  common  fenfe  that  we  are  active ;  then 
we  know,  that  both  aQivity  and  dependence  do, 
in  faft,  harmonioufly  meet  and  unite  in  our  minds. 
And  this  mode  of  reconciling  a6livity  and  depend- 
ence 


SERMON      IX.  221 

cnce  feems  calculated  to  give  entire  fatisfaBioa 
to  any  perfon,  who  is  prefled  with  the  difficulty 
of  feeing  their  harmony  and  connexion.  Let  us 
apply  it  to  the  cafe  of  fuch  a  perfon.  Does  reafon 
teach  you,  that  you  are  a  dependent  creature  ? 
Does  common  fenfe  teach  you,  that  you  are  a  free, 
moral  agent  ?  Do  you  never  experience  the  leaft 
inconfiftency  between  your  a6livity  and  depend- 
ence ?  And  do  you  feel  as  free  and  voluntary  in 
all  your  anions,  as  if  you  were  altogether  inde- 
pendent of  the  Supreme  Being  ?  If  all  this  be  true, 
you  muft  acknowledge,  that  you  have  the  evidence 
of  reafon,  that  you  a6l  dependently,  that  you  have 
the  evidence  of  common  fenfe,  that  you  a6l  freely  5 
and  that  you  have  the  evidence  of  conftant  expe- 
rience, that  your  a6livity  aftd  dependence  are  en- 
tirely confident.  You  are  therefore,  as  certain  of 
the  truth  and  confiftency  of  your  a6livity  and  de- 
pendence, as  you  can  be  of  any  other  truth,  whofe 
evidence  depends  upon  the  united  teflimony  of 
reafon  and  common  fenfe. 


SERMON 


■f^*.'  ^  «*  ^  <■#  A»-t^-J.  t>*^A^^.g^-J  ^AiiXJ'cX?  t^'tJ^'fJ^-J  AAl^tXjS 

S  .E  R  M  O  N     X. 

Man  s  Aftivity  and  Depend- 
ence illuftrated  and  recon- 
ciled. 

-'— — >0<X"XXX<^>»«©»«®'XXXXXX— — 

Philippians  II.   12,  13. 

Work  Old  your  own  falvation  -with  fear  and  trembling. 
For  it  IS  God  which  wcrketh  in  you^  hoih  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  good  pUafure. 

XxAVING  endeavored  to  reconcile  man's 
a6livity  and  dependence  in  the  preceding  difcourfe, 
I  proceed  to  draw  a  number  of  inferences  from 
the  fubjeft,  which  may  ferve  to  throw  light  upon 
fome  of  the  moft  difficult  things,  which  are  to  be 
found  either  in  the  word,  or  in  the  works  of  God, 

Inference   i. 

If  it  be  true,  that  men  aB^  while  they  are  afted 
upon  by  a  divine  operation  ;  then  tlieir  aftions  are- 
their  own,  and  not  the  aQions  of  God,     The  di«» 

vine 


2U4  SERMONS. 

vine  agency  is  not  human  agency,  nor  human  a- 
gency  the  divine  agency.  Though  God  does 
work  in  men  to  repent,  to  believe,  and  to  obey; 
yet  God  does  not  repent,  nor  believe,  nor  obey, 
but  the  perfons  themfelves,  on  whom  he  operates. 
When  God  works  in  men,  to  will  and  to  do,  he 
does  not  a8;  in  their  ftead,  but  they  aft  for  them* 
felves ;  and  therefore  what  they  do  is  entirely  dif- 
tinft  from  what  he  does.  Whether  they  aft  vir- 
taoufly  or  vicioufly,  their  aftions  are  their  own, 
and  the  praife  or  the  blame  is  their  own,  as  much 
as  if  they  afted  independently.  Some  fuppofej 
that  if  God  produces  our  moral  exercifes,  then 
they  muft  be  his,  or  at  leaft,  exaftly  referable  his, 
jn  their  moral  quality.  But  there  is  no  foundation 
to  draw  this  conclufion,  fince  our  moral  exercifes 
are  the. produHions  of  the  divine  power,  and  not  eman" 
ations  of  the  divine  nature.  It  is  true,  all  emana- 
tions of  the  divine  nature  muft  neceffarily  partake 
of  the  qualities  of  the  divine  nature,  as  much  as 
all  flrcams  muft  neceffarily  partake  of  the  qual- 
ities of  the  fountain,  from  which  they  flow. 
But  the  works  of  God  are  not  emanations  of 
his  nature,  but  only  the  fruits  of  his  power.  No 
created  objeft,  therefore,  bears  the  leaft  refem- 
blance  of  the  Deity,  fimply  becaufe  he  made  it. 
We  know  God  has  created  a  multitude  of  fer- 
pents,  vipers,  and  other  noxious  animals,  which, 
though  they  prove  him  to  be  poffefled  of  infinite 

power. 


S   E   R    M    O    N     X.  225 

power,  yet  afford  no  evidence  of  his  being  polTef- 
fed  of  any  malignity,  which  refembles  the  fling  of 
fcorpions,  or  the  poifon  of  afps.  If  God  mud 
necefTarily  flamp  his  own  natural  and  moral  image 
upon  every  produftion  of  his  hand;  then  a  flow- 
er, a  dove,  or  a  monfler,  mufl  bear  the  natural  and 
moral  image  of  their  Maker,  as  much  as  a  faint,  or 
an  angel.  Saints  and  angels  do,  indeed,  bear  both 
the  natural  and  moral  image  of  God ;  but  they 
bear  this  image  not  fimply  becaufe  he  gave  them 
exiflence,  but  becaufe  he  was  pleafed  to  give  them 
fuch  an  intelligent  and  holy  exiftence,  as  refembles 
his  natural  and  moral  perfeclions.  It  is,  therefore, 
as  confident  with  the  moral  re8itude  of  the  Deity, 
to  produce  finful,  as  holy  exercifes  in  the  minds 
of  men.  His  operations  and  their  voluntary  ex- 
ercifes are  totally  diftinft.  And  if  we  only  make, 
and  keep  up,  this  diflinQion  between  divine  and 
human  agency,  we'fhall  clearly  perceive,  that  no 
imputation  can  be  faftened  upon  the  moral  char- 
after  of  God,  while  he  works  in  all  mankind  both 
to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafure. 

Inference   ii. 

If  men  always  a6l  under  a  divine  operation,  then 
they  always  a6l  of  necejfity^  though  not  of  compuU 
Jim.  The  Deity,  by  working  in  them  to  will  and 
to  do,  lays  them  under  an  abfolute  neceflity  of  act- 
ing freely  ;  but  this  is  direftly  oppofed  to  compul- 
E  E  fion. 


2^6  S    E    R    M    O    N       X. 

fion.  God  may  caufe  men  to  ^neve,  -u'lthout  maR* 
iiid  them  willing  to  move;  bat  he  cannot  caufe 
them  to  a&,  without  making  them  willing  to  aH.  Ac- 
tion always  implies  choice ;  and  choice  always 
implies  motive.  It  is  out  of  tlie  power  of  the  De- 
ity, therefore,  to  oblige  men  to  aft,  without  making 
them  willing  to  a6l  in  the  view  of  motives.  Ac- 
cordingly, when  he  works  in  us  both  to  will  and  to 
do,  he  firft  exhibits  motives  before  our  minds,  and 
then  excites  us  to  aQ  voluntarily  in  the  view  of 
the  motives  exhibited*  And  in  thus  aBing  volun- 
tarily in  the  view  of  the  motives  prefented  to  us, 
we  exercife  the  moil  perfe£l  liberty  or  moral  free- 
dom. For,  we  can  frame  no  higher  idea  o^  moral 
freedom^  than  a6ling  voluntarily,  or  juft  as  we  pleafcy 
in  the  view  of  motives.  This,  however,  is  perfe81y 
confident  w'ith  moral  nccejfity.  Suppofe,  a  man  at 
leifure  defires  to  read;  and  fome  perfon  prefents 
him  a  Bible  and  a  Novel.  Though  he  knows  the 
contents  of  each  of  thefe  books,  yet  it  depends  up- 
on a  divine  operation  on  his  mind,  which  of  them 
he  fhall  choofe  to  read ;  for  the  bare  perception  of 
motive  is  incapable  of  producing  volition.  If,  in 
this  cafe,  God  works  in  him  to  will  to  read  the  Bi- 
ble, it  is  his  own  choice  in  the  view  of  the  obje6l 
chofen.  He  is  not  compelled  to  read  the  Bible, 
though  he  is  neceffarily  obliged  to  read  it.  He 
afts  under  a  moral  necefiity,  but  not  under  a  nat- 
ura4  compulfion.     Take  another  illuftralion  from 

Scripture. 


SERMON      X. 


22y 


Scripture.  God  faid  to  Samuel  on  a  certain  day, 
Tomorrow  I  will  fend  thee  a  man  whom  thoa  fhalt 
anoint  king  over  Ifrael.  The  man  proved  to  be 
Saul.  The  ftory  is  this.  Saul's  father  loft  his  afles, 
and  fent  Saul  with  a  fervant  to  fearch  for  them. 
They  went  and  fearched,  until  they  defpaired  of 
fuccefs.  But  juft  as  they  were  determining  to  re- 
turn, the  fervant  propofed  to  go  to  the  man  of 
God.  The  propofal  being  agreeable  to  Saul,  he 
cheerfully  complied  with  it ;  and  they  both  repair- 
ed to  the  houfe  of  Samuel,  w^ho  treated  them  with 
peculiar  refpeQ.  The  next  day,  Saul  was  anoint- 
-ed  king  over  Ifrael,  and  the  purpofe  of  God,  in 
fending  him  to  Samuel,  was  completely  fulfilled. 
Now,  in  every  ftep  of  his  journey,  Saul  a6led  free- 
ly in  the  view  of  motives.  He  left  his  father's 
houfe,  from  the  motive  of  his  father's  authority; 
and  he  went  to  the  houfe  of  Samuel,  from  the  mo- 
tive fuggefted  by  his  fervant.  But,  we  are  to  re- 
member, that  Godfent  him  to  Samuel,  and  dire6l- 
ed  every  ftep  he  took,  to  reach  his  houfe.  Hence 
there  was  a  neceftary  and  infallible  connexion  be- 
tween Saul's  aflions  and  the  motives  from  which 
he  a6led.  And  this  certain  connexion  could  be 
owing  to  no  other  caufe,  tlian  a  fecret  divine  influ- 
ence on  his  will,  which  gave  energy  and  fuccefs  to 
the  motives,  which  induced  him  to  execute  the  de- 
figns  of  providence.  God  made  him  willing  to  go 
to  Samuel,  but  did  not  compel  him  to  go.     He  led 

him 


i28  SERMON       X. 

him  thither  by  a  moral  neceflity,  without  the  leail 
compulfion  or  conftraint.  And  thus  men  always 
aft  both  necejfarily  sindfreely^  while  God  works  in 
them  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafure. 

Inference  hi. 

If  faints  can  work  out  their  own  falvation,  under 
a  pofitive  influence  of  the  Deity;  then  finners  can 
work  out  their  own  deftruBion,  under  his  pofitive 
influence.  As  faints  can  a8,  while  they  are  a6l- 
ed  upon;  fo  finners  can  a6l,  while  they  are  afted 
upon.  As  faints  can  a6l  freely,  under  a  divine  in- 
fluence ;  fo  finners  can  a6l  freely,  under  a  divine 
influence.  And  as  faints  can  a6l  virtuoufly,  under 
a  divine  agency;  fo  finners  can  a6l  criminally, 
under  a  divine  agency.  Hence  it  is  juft  as  eafy  to 
fee,  that  finners  can  work  out  their  own  deflruc- 
tion,  as  that  faints  can  work  out  their  own  falva- 
tion, under  the  operation  of  the  Deity.  And  this 
is  agreeable  to  the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture.  Pha- 
raoh is  reprefented,  as  a6ling  under  the  pofitive  in- 
fluence of  the  divine  Being,  who  led  him  on  in 
the  path  to  ruin.  It  is  repeatedly  faid,  that  God 
hardened  his  heart;  and  repeatedly  faid,  that  he 
hardened  his  own  heart.  According  to  the  ac- 
count given  of  his  conda6^  towards  God,  and  of 
God's  conduft  towards  him,  he  was  as  really  afted 
upon,  in  working  out  his  own  deflruQion,  as  faints 
are,  in  working  out  their  own  falvaiion.     The  un- 

believing 


SERMON      X. 


S29 


believing  Jews,  in  our  Saviour's  day,  were  judi- 
cially hardened;  and  yet  they  were  feverely  re- 
proved for  hardening  themfelves.  The  fame  paf- 
fage,  in  the  fixth  of  Ifaiah,  is  applied  to  them  in 
both  thefe  fenfes.  The  paffage  flands  thus  in  the 
Prophet.  "  And  he  faid,  Go,  and  tell  this  peo- 
ple, Hear  ye  indeed,  but  underftand  not ;  and  fee 
ye  indeed,  but  perceive  not.  Make  the  heart  of 
this  people  fat,  and  make  their  ears  heavy,  and 
fhut  their  eyes;  left  they  fee  with  their  eyes,  and 
hear  with  their  ears,  and  underftand  with  their 
heart,  and  convert,  and  be  healed."  This  ap- 
pears to  be  a  judicial  hardening;  but  yet  Chrift 
applies  it  to  thofe,  who  hardened  themfelves. 
*' Therefore  I  fpeak  to  them  in  parables:  becaufe 
they  feeing,  fee  not;  and  hearing,  hear  not,  nei- 
ther do  they  underftand.  And  in  them  is  fulfill- 
ed the  prophecy  of  Efaias,  which  faith,  By  hearing 
ye  fhall  hear,  and  ftiall  not  underftand  ;  and  feeing 
ye  fhall  fee,  and  fhall  not  perceive.  For  this  peo- 
ple's heart  is  waxed  grofs,  and  their  ears  are  dull 
of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have  they  clofed ;  left  at 
any  time  they  fliould  fee  with  their  eyes,  and  hear 
with  their  ears,  and  fhould  underftand  with  their 
heart,  and  fliould  be  converted,  and  I  ftiould  heal 
them."  The  apoftle  John  confiders  the  Jews  as 
under  a  judicial  blindnefs,  and  applies  this  paflage 
to  them,  as  defcriptive  of  their  guilty  and  mifera- 
ble  condition.  "Therefore  they  could  not  be- 
lieve, 


ggo  SERMON       X. 

lieve,  becaufe  Efaias  faid  again,  He  hath  blinded 
their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart ;  that  they 
might  not  fee  with  their  Q.yts,  nor  underftand  with 
their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  fliould  heal 
them."  The  apoftle  Paul,  however,  cites  this  paf- 
fage  as  a  proof  of  their  hardening  their  own  hearts. 
«*  Well  fpake  the  Holy  Ghoft  by  Efaias  the  proph- 
et to  our  fathers,  faying,  Go  unto  this  people,  and 
fay,  Hearing  ye  fhall  hear,  and  fhall  not  under- 
ftand ;  and  feeing  ye  fhall  fee,  and  not  per- 
ceive. For  the  heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  grofs, 
and  their  ears  are  dull  of  heariog,  and  their  eyes 
have  they  c\o{e.d;  left  they  fhould  fee  with  their 
eyes,  and  hear  with*  their  ears,  and  underftand  with 
their  heart,  and  Ihould  be  converted,  and  I  fhould 
heal  them."  Thefe  different  applications  of  the 
fame  text  can  be  reconciled,  only  on  the  fuppofi- 
tion,  that  the  Prophet,  that  Chrift,  and  the  Apof- 
tles  meant  to  convey  the  idea,  that  finners  work 
out  their  own  deftru6lion,  under  the  pofitive  influ- 
ence of  the  Deity.  And  this  is  exprefsly  afferted 
by  the  apoftle  Paul,  concerning  the  reprobate  Jews. 
"  What  then  ?  Ifrael  hath  not  obtained  that  which 
he  feeketh  for :  but  the  eleUion  hath  obtained  it, 
and  the  reft  were  blinded,  or  as  it  is  in  the  margin, 
hardened." 

Inference    iv. 

If  God  can  work  in  faints  both  to  will  and  to 

do  that  which  is  virtuous  and  holy  ;  then  he  might 

have 


SERMON      X.  231  • 

have  made  man  upright,  and  formed  him  in  his 
own  moral  image,  at  firft.  Some  fuppore,  it  Mas 
out  of  the  power  of  God  to  create  Adam,  at  firft, 
in  righteoufnefs  and  true  holinefs ;  becaufe  right- 
eoufnefs  and  true  holinefs  belong  to  the  heart,  and 
are  free,  voluntary  exercifes.  But  though  every 
fpecies  of  moral  reflitude  be  a  free,  voluntary  ex- 
ercife  of  the  heart;  yet  it  may  neverthelefs  be  the 
fruit  of  a  divine  operation.  The  heart  may  be 
created  as  well  as  the  undcrftanding,  or  moral  ex- 
ercifes as  well  as  natural  faculties.  It  appears  from 
what  has  been  faid,  that  the  hearts  of  faints  are  cre- 
ated, or  that  their  free  and  voluntary  exercifes  are 
the  produftion  of  divine  power.  Where,  then,  is 
the  difficulty  of  conceiving,  that  God  made  man 
upright  at  firft,  and  created  him  in  his  own  moral 
image  ?  If  faints  may  be  the  workmanfiiip  of  God 
created  unto  good  works,  in  the  meridian  of  life  ; 
then  Adam  might  have  been  the  workmanfl^.ip  of 
God  created  unto  good  warks,  in  the  firft  moment 
of  his  exiftence.  God  was  as  able  to  work  in  Adam 
both  to  will  and  to  do  that  which  was  virtuous  and 
holy,  the  firft  moment  of  his  creation,  as  he  is,  to 
work  in  faints  both  to  will  and  to  do  that  which 
is  virtuous  and  holy,  in  any  period  of  their  lives. 
The  cafes  are  exa8Iy  fimilar.  If  holinefs  can  be 
created  in  one  man,  it  may  be  in  another;  and  if 
it  can  be  created  in  one  period  of  life,  it  may  be  in 
another.     There  is  nothing,  therefore,  in  the  fup- 

pofition 


232  SERMON       X. 

pofition  of  man's  original  reQitude,  which  is  repug- 
nant either  to  the  nature  of  holinefs,  as  a  voluntary 
cxercife ;  or  to  the  nature  of  man,  as  a  moral  agent. 

Inference  v. 

Since  God  can  work  in  men  both  to  will  and  to 
do  of  his  good  pleafure,  it  is  as  eafy  to  account 
for  the  firft  offence  of  Adam,  as  for  any  other  fin. 
Many,  who  believe  his  orignal  re6litude,  fuppofe 
it  is  extremely  difficult,  if  not  impoffible,  to  ac- 
count for  his  firft  a6l  of  difobedience,  in  eating  of 
the  forbidden  fruit.  But  in  as  much  as  they  ac- 
knowledge the  fa6l,  they  endeavor,  in  fome  way  or 
other,  to  folve  the  difficulty. 

Some  fay,  that  Adam  being  neceffarily  dependent^ 
was  neceffarily  mutable  and  liable  to  fall.  It  is  true, 
indeed,.  Adam  was  neceffarily  dependent  and  lia- 
ble to  fall :  but  by  whom  was  he  expofed  to  this 
evil  ?  not  by  himfelf,  not  by  fatan,  not  by  any  cre- 
ated agent.  God  can  make  creatures  immutable  with 
refpeO;  to  all  beings  but  Himfelf.  Angels  and  the 
fpirits  of  juflmen  above,  are  immutable  with  ref- 
pe£l  to  all  beings  but  the  Deity.  So  long,  there- 
fore, as  Adam  retained  his  original  reftitude,  he 
was  equally  immutable  in  his  moral  chara6ler,  and 
ftood  above  the  power  and  influence  of  fatan,  or 
any  other  malignant  feducer. 

Some  fay,  that  God  having  made  man  upright, 
left  him  to  the  freedom  of  his  own  zvill ;    in  confe- 

quencc 


S    E    R    M    O    N     X»  ji33 

t^uence  of  which  he  finned  and  fell.  That  God 
left  man  to  the  freedom  of  his  own  will  muft  be 
allowed  ;  bat  how  this  can  account  for  his  firft 
tranfgreflion,  is  hard  to  conceive.  Every  moral 
agent  is  left  to  the  freedom  of  his  own  will,  fo  long 
as  he  remains  a  moral  agent;  becaufe  freedom  of 
will  is  eflential  to  moral  agency.  And  there  is  no 
evidence  from  Scripture  nor  reafon,  that  man  was 
any  more  left  to  the  freedom  of  his  own  will  Ic' 
Jore-i  than  after  his  fall.  But  if  by  being  left  to  the 
freedom  of  his  own  will  be  meant,  that  God  txjith- 
drew  fome  aid  or  fupport,  which  he  had  given  him 
before,  and  which  was  neceffary  in  order  to  refifl 
temptation  ;  then  fuch  b.  fufpenjion  of  divine  aid  or 
fupport,  muft  have  excufed  him  for  eating  of  the 
forbidden  fruit;  fince  there  could  have  been  no 
criminality  in  his  not  refifting  a  temptation,  which 
was  above  his  natural  power  to  refift.  Befides, 
there  is  an  abfurdity  in  fuppofing,  that  Adam  could 
be  led  into  fin,  by  the  violence  of  temptation, 
while  his  heart  remained  perfe6lly  holy.  For,  a 
perfe6lly  holy  heart  perfedly  hates  every  motive, 
every  fuggeftion,  every  temptation  to  fin.  This 
was  exemplified  in  the  condu6l  of  Chrift,  when  he 
was  fo  artfully  and  violently  aflaulted  by  the  deviU 
Satan's  tempting  him  to  difobey  his  Father's  will, 
fnftead  of  leading  him  to  comply,  only  ferved  to 
excite  his  refentment  againft  the  tempter  himfelf. 
And  juft  fo  the  devil's  tempting  Adam  to  eat  of 
F  F  the 


234  SERMON    X. 

tlie  forbidden  fruit,  muft  have  excited  his  lore^ 
rather  than  his  hatred,  to  God,  had  he  remained 
perfe6^1y  holy.  It  is  impoffible  to  conceive,  there- 
fore, that  Adam's  pure  heart  was  corrupted,  or 
drawn  into  fin,  by  the  mere  force  of  external 
temptation. 

Nor  will  it  relieve  any  difficulty  on  this  fub- 
jefl:,  to  fay  that  Adam  and  Eve  were  deceived^  when 
they  partook  of  the  forbidden  fruit.  For,  their  de- 
ception muft  have  been  either  voluntary  or  invol- 
untary. If  it  were  voluntary,  then  their  fin  was 
ihQ  caufe  of  their  deception,  and  not  their  decep- 
tion the  caufe  of  their  fin.  But  if  their  deception 
were  involuntary,  then  it  entirely  excufed  them. 
For  their  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  while  their 
hearts  were  perfe6lly  holy,  and  they  really  fuppof- 
ed  they  ought  to  do  it,  would  have  been  a  duty, 
inftead  of  a  crinrQ. 

As  thefe  and  all  other  methods  to  account  for 
the  fall  of  Adam,  by  the  injlrumentality  offecond  caiif- 
es,  are  infufficient  to  remove  the  difficulty,  it  feem» 
neceffary  to  have  recourfe  to  the  divine  agency, 
and  to  fuppofe,  that  God  wrought  in  Adam  both 
to  will  and  to  do,  in  his  firfl  tranfgreffion.  As  A- 
dam  a6led  freely,  while  he  was  a6ted  upon,  before 
he  fell;  fo  he  a6led  freely,  while  he  was  a6led 
upon,  at  the  moment  of  his  fall.  His  firft  fm 
was  a  free,  voluntary  exercife  produced  by  a 
diving  operation,  in  the  view  of  motives.     Satan 

*    ^  placed 


SERMON     X,  435 

pljiced  certain  motives  before  his  mindj  which,  by 
a  divine  energy,  took  hold  of  his  heart  and  led  him 
into  fin.  In  this  view,  Adam's  firft  fin  is  as  eafy  to 
account  for,  as  David's  in  numbering  the  people ; 
as  Pharaoh's  in  refufing  to  let  the  people  go;  as 
Ahab's  in  going  up  to  Ramath-Gilead ;  or  as  any 
other  man's  fin  fince  the  fall,  This,  perhaps,  is  a 
full  folution  of  the  firft  fin  in  this  world,  and,  of 
confequence,  of  the  firft  fin  in  the  univerfe. 

Inference  vi. 

if  God  can  work  in  moral  agents  both  to  will 
and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafure;  then  we  may  eafi- 
iy  account  for  the  moral  depravity  of  Infants. 
Next  to  the  firft  fin  of  Adam,  the  firft  fin  in  his 
pofterity  is  fuppofcd  to  be  the  moft  difficult  to  ac- 
count for. 

Some  fuppofe,  that  the  human  foul,  as  well  a« 
the  human  body,  proceeds  dire£lly  from  the  par- 
ents who  naturally  and  neceflarily  convey  their 
own  moral  image  to  their  children,  And  upon 
this  principle,  they  fuppofe,  that  after  our  firft  par- 
ents became  corrupt,  they  conveyed  a  corrupt 
nature  to  their  children,  and  they  again  to  theirs ; 
and  fo  a  corrupt  nature  has,  ever  fince  the  fall, 
been  tranfmitted  from  parents  to  children,  and 
will  continue  to  be  tranfmitted  in  the  fame  man- 
ner to  the  lateft  pofterity.  This  folution,  howev- 
er. 


23^  S   E    R    M    O    N      X. 

cr,  by  no  means  gives  faiisfaftioh.     We  are  not 
certain,  that  the  foul  of  the  child  does  proceed  di- 
reB]y  from    the  parents.      Scripture  and   reafon 
rather  lead   us  to  juppofc,  that  the  foul  is  a  divine 
produftion,  and  proceeds  immediately  from  the  Fa- 
ther of  fpirits.  But  even  allowing,  that  the  foul  does 
proceed,  according  to  a  divine  conftitution,  from 
the  parents ;  yet  this  will  not  account  for  its  mor- 
al poUution.     For,  moral  depravity  confifts  in  the 
free,  voluntary  exercifes  of  a  moral  agent;  and 
of  confequence  cannot  be  tranfmitted,  by  one  per- 
fon  to  another.     Adam's  moral  impurity  or  de- 
filement was  his  own  voluntary  wickednefs,  which 
could  not,  by  any  divine  conftitution  or  appoint- 
ment, become  the  moral  impurity  or  defilement  of 
his  natural  offspring,  either  in  whole  or  in   part, 
BefiHes,   if  parents  naturally   convey    their  moral 
likpnefs  to  their  children,  then  Adam,  after  he  be- 
came holy,  muft  have  conveyed  holinefs  to  his 
children,  and  they  likewife  to  theirs ;  and  fo  there 
muft  have  been  a  conftant  fucceflion  of  holy  fam- 
ilies down  to  this  day;  which  we  find  is  contrary 
to  univerial  obfervation  and  experience. 

Others  fuppofe,  that  the  depravity  of  the  foul 
orgi nates  from  the  mortality  of  the  body.  Though 
they  allow,  that  the  foul  comes  pure  and  clean 
from  the  hands  of  God ;  yet  they  imagine  a  cor- 
rupt mortal  body  muft  foon  defile  it.  They  fay, 
v/hile  the  minds  of  children  are  weak  and  ignorant, 

their 


K 


S   E   R   M   O    N      X.  237 

their  bodily  appetites  and  paflions  gain  the  afcend- 
cncy,  and  lead  them  into  finful  courfes  and  evil 
habits.  But  this  fuppofition  is  clogged  with  infur- 
mountable  difficulties.  How  can  a  corrupt  body 
corrupt  a  pure  mind  ?  At  moft,  the  body  can  af- 
ford only  temptations  to  fin ;  but  temptations  of 
themfelves  have  no  power  to  corrupt  a  pure  heart. 
Chrift  was  once  an  infant.  He  grew,  like  other 
infants,  in  body  and  mind ;  but  yet  his  mind  was 
never  corrupted  by  his  body.  Though  he  was 
fubje6t  to  hunger,  thirft,  pain,  wearinefs,  and  mor- 
tality }  yet  thefe  bodily  appetites  and  infirmities 
never  led  him  into  intemperance,  impatience,  or 
any  other  moral  evil.  His  foul  was  holy,  harmlefs, 
undefiled,  while  united  to  an  earthly,  feeble,  mor- 
tal body.  Hence  it  appears  to  be  contrary  to  fa6l, 
that  the  depravity  of  the  foul  fhould  arife  from 
the  mortality  of  the  body  ;  or  that  the  mortal 
bodies  of  infants  fhould  morally  defile  their  pure 
and  immortal  fpirits. 

But  though  we  cannot  fuppofe,  that  infants  de- 
rive their  moral  corruption  from  Adam,  nor  from 
•their  own  mortal  bodies ;  yet  we  can  eafily  con- 
ceive of  their  becoming  depraved,  in  confequence 
of  the  firft  apoftacy.  God  conftituted  fuch  a  con- 
nexion between  Adam  and  his  pofterity,  that  if  be 
finned,  they  fhould  all  become  finners.  Accord- 
ingly, in  confequence  of  Adam's  firft  tranfgreffion, 

God  now  brings  his  pofterity  into  the  world,  in  a 

ftate 


ftate  of  moral  depravity.  But  how  ?  the  anfwer 
is  eafy.  When  God  forms  the  fouls  of  infants,  he 
forms  them  with  moral  powers,  and  makes  them 
men  in  miniature.  And  being  men  in  miniatures 
he  works  in  them,  as  he  does  in  other  men,  both 
to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleafare  :  or  prpducCiS 
thofe  moral  exercifes  in  their  hearts,  in  which  mor- 
al depravity  properly  and  effentially  confifts. .  Mor- 
al depravity  can  take  place  no  where  but  in  moral 
agents ;  and  moral  agents  can  never  a6l  but  only 
as  they  are  aQed  upon  by  a. divine  operation.  It 
is  juft  as  eafy,  therefore,  to  account  for  moral  de- 
pravity in  infancy,  as  in  any  other  period  of  life. 

Inference  vii. 

If  God  can  work  in  faints  both  to  will  and  t& 
do  of  his  good  pleafure  ;  then  he  can  convert  fin- 
nersj   confidently  with   their  activity  and  moral 
freedom.     God  operates  precifely  in  the  fame  man- 
ner, in  producing  the  firft  exercife  of  grace,  as  in 
producing  the  fecond,  or  any  other.     All  that  he 
does,  in  converting,  or  regenerating  a  fmner,  is  to 
work  in  him  to  will  and  to  do  that  which  is  holy, 
inftead  of  that  which  is  fmful.     The  finner  is  not 
fajfive,  but  aBive  in  this  change.     He  a£ls  as  free- 
ly, while  God  turns  him  from  fin  to  hplincfs,  as 
ever  he  did  in  his  life.    He  feels  no  violence  done 
to  his  will,  nor  the  lead  conftraint  thrown  upon 
his  moral    freedom.      God  has  often   converted 

fome 


SERMON      X. 


239 


fdme  of  the  moft  hardened  and  obftinate  finner». 
He  fubdiied  the  hearts  of  his  rebellious  people, 
in  Babylon,  He  converted,  in  one  day,  three 
thoiifand  of  thofe,  who  had  been  concerned  m 
crucifying  the  Lord  of  glory.  He  met  Paul  on 
his  way  to  Damafcus,  and  inftantaneoufly  turned 
that  blafphemer  and  perfecuter  into  a  meek  and 
humble  follower  of  Chrift.  And  he  can  now  con- 
vert as  many  and  as  great  finners  as  he  pleafes,  in 
perfe6l  confiftency  with  the  free  and  voluntary  ex- 
ercife  of  all  their  natural  powers.  God  has  no 
occalion  of  fending  finners  to  another  world,  in 
order  to  foften  and  change  their  hearts  j  for  he  is 
always  able  to  work  in  them  both  to  will  and  to 
do  that  which  is  pleafing  in  his  fight,  without  de- 
ftroying,  or  even  obftrufting  their  moral  freedom. 

Inference  viii. 

If  God  always  works  in  men  both  to  will  and  to 
do ;  then  they  are  as  able  to  work  out  their  own 
falvation,  as  to  perform  the  common  anions  of  life. 
The  only  reafon,  why  finners  fuppofe  they  are  lefs 
able  to  work  out  their  own  falvation,  than  to  do 
the  common  a6lions  of  life,  is  becaufe  they  ima- 
gine they  need  more  divine  aififtance,  in  working 
out  their  own  falvation,  than  in  doing  any  thing 
elfe.  If  they  are  urged  to  repent,  they  fay  they 
cannot  repent,  of  themfelves;   for  repentance  is 

tire 


240  3   E   R   M   O   N       X. 

the  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  If  they  are  urged  to  believe 
in  Chrift,  they  fay  they  cannot  believe,  of  them- 
felves  ;  for  faith  is  the  gift  of  God.  And  if  they  are 
urged  to  make  themfelves  a  new  heart,  they  fay  they 
cannot  do  this,  of  themfelves ;  for  it  is  the  work 
of  God  to  give  them  a  new  heart.  Thefe  expref- 
fions  plainly  intimate,  that  they  fuppofe  they  always 
a6l,  of  themfelves,  except  in  the  concerns  of  reli- 
gion ;  and,  of  confequence,  that  they  are  lefs  able 
to  perform  religious  duties,  than  the  common  ac- 
tions of  life.  But  there  is  no  juft  ground  for  this 
conclufion.  They  never  do  a6l,  of  themfelves. 
They  live,  and  move,  and  have  their  being  in  God, 
who  conftantly  works  in  them  both  to  will  and  to 
do,  in  every  inftance  of  their  conduft.  They  are 
as  able,  therefore,  to  do  right,  as  to  do  wrong; 
to  do  their  duty,  as  to  negle6t  their  duty;  to  love 
God,  as  to  haie  God;  to  choofe  life,  as  to  choofe 
death  ;  to  walk  in  the  narrow  way  to  heaven,  as  to 
walk  in  the  broad  way  to  hell ;  and  to  turn  from 
{in  to  holinefs,  as  to  perfe6t  holinefs  in  the  fear  of 
the  Lord.  Hence  they  are  exprefsly  required  to 
hegi7z  to  be  holy,  and  to  perform  the  very  aft  of 
turning,  repenting,  and  changing  the  heart.  "  Let 
the  mckcd  for  fake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man 
his  thmghts,  and  let  him  return  to  the  Lord."  Ifai- 
ah  LV.  7.  "  Titrnye,  hern  ye,  for  why  will  ye  die? 
Cajl  axvay  from  you  all  your  tranfgreflions,  where- 
by ye  have  tranfgreffedj  and  make  you  a  new  heari^ 

and 


S    E    R    M    O    N      X.  a4i 

iind  a  new  fpirit :  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  houfe  of 
Ifrael  ?  For  I  have  no  pleafure  in  the  death  of  him 
thatdieth,  faith  the  Lord:  wherefore  turn  your/elves } 
and  live  ye."  Ezekiel,  xviii.  31,32.  and  xxxiii.  11, 
«  Therefore  alfo  now  faith  the  Lord,  Turn  ye  event 
to  me  with  ail  your  heart,  and  with  failing,  and 
with  weeping,  and  with  mourning.  And  rend  your 
heart,  and  n.ot  your  garments,  and  turn  to  the  Lord 
your  God."  Joel  11.  12,13.  "Draw  nigh  to  God, 
and  he  will  draw  nigh  to  you  :  cleanfe  your  hands 
ye  finners,  and  purify  your  hearts,  ye  double  mind- 
ed." /James,  iv.  8.  "  Wifdom  crieth  without,  Ihe 
uttereth  her  voice  in  the  ftreets ;  fhe  crieth  in  the 
chief  place  of  concourfe,  in  the  opening  of  the 
gates  :  in  the  city  Ihe  uttereth  her  words,  faying. 
How  long  ye  fimple  ones,  will  ye  love  fimplicity  ? 
and  the  fcorners  delight  in  fcorning,  and  fools  hate 
knowledge  ?  Turn  ye  at  my  reproof"  Proverbs  i. 
20,  21,  22.  "  O  Jerufalem  wafh  thine  heart  from 
■zvickednefs,  that  (hou  mayeft  be  faved  :  how  long 
fhall  thy  vain  thoughts  lodge  within  thee."  Jere- 
miah IV.  14.  "  Wa/h  ye,  make  you  clean  ;  put  away 
the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes  ; 
ieafe  to  do  evil,  karn  to  do  well."  Ifaiah  i.  16,  17. 
If  there  be  any  juftice  or  propriety  in  thefe  com- 
mands, then  finners  are  as  able  to  turn  from  fin,  to 
change  their  hearts,  or  to  begin  to  be  holy ;  as  to 
perform  any  other  religious  duty,  or  common  ac- 
tion. 

G  Q  BeiideS) 


242  SERMON       X. 

Befides,  the  facfed  writers  borrow  fimiiitudei 
from  the  common  conduft  of  men,  to  itluftrate  the 
duty  and  obligation  of  fihners  to  repent  and  em- 
brace the  gofgeL     The  evangelical  Prophet  criesj 
"  H05  every  one  that  thirfteth,  come  ye  to  the  wa- 
ters, and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy 
and  eat;  yea,   come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without 
money,  and    without  price."      Thefe   fimilitudes 
plainly  fuppofe,  that  every  iinner  is  as  able  to  em- 
brace the  gofpel,  as  a  thirfty  man  is  to  drink  water^ 
or  an  hungry  man  to  eat  the  moft  delicious  food. 
In  the  parable  of  the  marriage  fupper,  God  is  re- 
prefented  as  fending  forth  his  fervants,   to  invite 
finners  to  come  and  receive  the  fruits  of  his  love. 
This  invitation  carries  the   idea,   that   finners  are 
as  able  to  come  to  the  gofpel  feaft,  as  to  come  to 
any  other,  to  which  they  are  kindly  invited.    Take 
away  this  point  of  refemblance,  and  the  parable  is 
totally  unmeaning,  or  extremely  impertinent.    The 
parable   of  the  prodigal   fon,  is  defigned  to  illuf- 
trate  the  imniediatfe   duty  of  finners  to  return  ta 
God,  from  whom  they  have  unreafonably   depart- 
ed.    But  where  is  the  beauty  or  propriety  of  the 
parable,  unlefs  finners  are  as  able  to  return  to  their 
heavenly  Father,  as  an  undutiful,  wandering  child 
is  to  return  to  his  earthly  parent  ?  By  the  obedi- 
ence of  the  Rechabites,  God  reproved  the  difobe- 
diehce  of  his  own  people.     But  how  did  that  ex- 
ample reach  the  cafej  unlefs  the  Ifraelites  were  as 

able 


SERMON     X.  243 

able  to  obey  the^  commands  of  God,  as  the  Rech^- 
bites  were  to  obey  the  command  of  their  father  ? 
It  is  the  plain  language  of  thefe  fimilitudes,  that 
finners  are  as  able  to  work  out  their  own  falva- 
tion,  with  fear  and  trembling,  as  to  perform  the 
moft  common  and  ordinary  aftions  of  life.  Hence 
there  is  the  fame  propriety  in  exhorting  them  to 
eat,  and  drink,  and  do  every  thing  to  the  glory  of 
God,  as  there  is  in  exhorting  them  to  do  any  thing 
at  all.  And  hence  too  that  whole  fyftem  of  un- 
regenerate  duties,  which  has  been  built  on  the 
principle,  that  finners  are  pajfive  in  regeneration, 
and  of  courfe  are  under  an  ethico-phyjical  inability 
to  do  any  thing  in  a  holy  and  gracious  manner,  ap- 
pears to  be  without  the  leaft  foundation  in  Scrip- 
ture, or  reafon. 

Inference   ix. 

Since  God  w;orks  in  all  mankind  both  to  will 
and  to  do,  there  appears  no  reafonable  objeBion 
againft  the  do6lrine  of  divine  decrees.  If  God 
be  a  perfeflly  wife  agent,  he  muft  determine  all  his 
own  condu6l:.  But  he  cannot  determine  all  his 
own  conduft,  without  determining  how  he  will 
work  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do  j  and  by  deter- 
mining this,  he  muft  neceffarily  determine  how  wc 
(hall  will  and  do,  through  every  period  of  our  ex- 
iftence.     It  is  juft  as  certain,  therefore,  that  God 

determines 


Hi 


SERMON       X. 


determines  all  our  a6lions,  as  that  he  determine 
all  his  own.  But  the  divine  decrees,  fo  long  as 
they  lie  in  the  divine  mind  unexeciUed^hdiVe  no  more 
influence  upon  us,  than  they  had  before  we  exift- 
ed.  And  when  they  aftually  reach  us,  or  when 
God  aflually  fulfils  them  upon  us,  he  only  works 
in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  agreeably  to  his  eter- 
nal purpofe;  which  operation  we  have  feen  is  en- 
tirely confiftent  with  our  own  free  agency.  Nor 
do  the  decrees  of  God  fubjeft  us  to  the  leaft  dif- 
advantage,  with  refpeO;  to  time  or  eternity.  For 
fince  God  works  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  it  ab^ 
folutely  depends  upon  his  determination^  whether  we 
fhall  be  holy  and  happy,  or  finful  and  miferable,  in 
this  life  and  in  that  which  is  to  come.  And  if  all 
this  depends  upon  his  determination,  it  is  of  no 
confequence  to  us,  when  he  determines  our  char- 
afters  and  conditions,  whether  in  time  or  eternity  ; 
becaufe  we  know  from  the  perfe6lion  of  his  nat- 
ure, that  his  determination  mufl  be  precifely  the 
fame,  whether  formed  before,  or  fince  he  brought 
us  into  exiftence.  In  a  word,  if  there  be  no  ob- 
jeftion  againft  God's  working  in  us  both  to  will 
and  to  do,  there  can  be  none  againft  his  decree- 
ing from  eternity  to  work  in  us  both  to  will  and 
to  do.  His  decrees  have  no  influence  upon  us 
until  they  reach  us,  and  when  they  do  reach  us, 
they  reach  us  by  that  divine  agency,  which  coin^ 
tides  with  all  the  liberty  we  are  capable  of  exer- 

cifing,  or  even  of  conceiving. 

Inference 


S   E   R    M    O    N     X.  245 

Inference  x. 

It  appears  from  God's  working  in  all  men  both 
jo  will  and  to  do,  that  he  governs  the  moral,  as  well 
as  the  natural,  world.  This  is  denied  by  many, 
who  believe  in  divine  providence.  Though  they 
acknowledge,  that  God  has  a  controlling  influence 
over  all  the  material  and  animal  creation;  yet 
ihey  fuppofe,  that  it  is  out  of  his  power,  to  govern 
the  free  and  voluntary  aftions  of  moral  agents. 
But  if  he  works  in  all  men  both  to  will  and  to  do 
of  his  good  pleafurc ;  then  he  governs  the  moral, 
as  well  as  the  natural,  world,  and  both  by  a  pofi- 
tive  agency,  and  not  a  bare  permiffion.  Itisim- 
pofTible  for  the  Deity  to  govern  any  of  his  crea- 
tures or  works,  by  permiffion;  becaufe  his  permif- 
fion would  be  nothing  fhort  of  annihilation.  A 
prince  may  exercife  permiffion  towards  his  fub- 
je6ls,  becaufe  thfey  are  able  to  aft^  without  his  fup- 
port  or  affiftance ;  but  God  cannot  exercife  per- 
miffion towards  his  reafonoble  creatures,  becaufe 
they  cannot  aQ,  without  his  working  in  them  both 
to  will  and  to  do.  The  Deity,  therefore,  is  fo  far 
from  permitting  moral  agents  to  a6l  independently 
of  himfelf ;  that,  on  the  other  hand,  he  puts  forth 
a  pojitive  influence  to  make  them  a6t,  in  every  in- 
IJance  of  their  condufl,  juft  as  he  pleafes.  He 
j[>ends  all  the  moral,  as  well  as  all  the  natural  world, 

to 


246  S    E    R    M   O    N    X, 

to  his  own  views;  and  makes  all  his  creatures,  as 
well  as  all  his  works,  anfwer  the  ends,  for  which 
they  were  created.  Hence  this  will  forever  re- 
main a  juft  definition  of  his  Providence;  "His 
moft  holy,  wife,  and  powerful  preferving  and  gov- 
erning all  his  creatures,  and  all  their  aftions." 

Inference   xi. 

If  finners  are  able  to  aft  freely,  while  they  are 
a6led  upon  by  the  Deity;  then  they  have  no  man- 
ner of  excufc)  for  negleding  to  obey  any  of  his 
commands.  They  all  acknowledge,  that  they  have 
no  excufe-,  for  negle6ling  to  obey  any  divine  com- 
mand, which  they  are  able  to  obey;  and  that  they 
Ihould  be  able  to  obey  all  the  divine  commands, 
■were  it  rjot  for  their  dependence  upon  divine  in- 
fluence, in  all  their  moral  exercifes  :  fo  that  finally 
all  their  excufes  centre  and  terminate  in  their 
abfolute  dependence  upon  God.  If,  therefore, 
this  fhelter  fails  them,  all  their  excufes  vanilh, 
and  every  divine  command  lies  upon  them  in  its 
full  force  and  obligation.  But  we  have  fiiown, 
that  their  dependence  affords  them  do  proteBion, 
becaufe  it  is  not  the  ground  of  their  inability.  They 
can  aft  as  freely,  as  if  they  were  not  dependent ; 
and  they  are  as  able  to  obey  the  divine  com.mands, 
as  if  they  could  aft  of  thernfelves.  They  can  love 
God,  repent  of  fin,  believe  in  Chrift,  and  perform 

every 


S   £  R  M   O    N      X.  24f 

every  religious  duty,  as  well  as  they  can  think,  or 
fpeak,  or  walk.  They  have  no  cloak  for  the  leafl: 
fih,  whfcther  internal  or  external.  And  if  they  are 
ever  brought  under  convi6lion  by  the  divine  Spir- 
it, their  excufes  will  all  forfake  them,  and  their  con- 
fciences  will  condemn  them  for  impenitence,  un- 
belief, and  hardnefs  of  heart,  as  much  as  for  any 
other  fins,  in  the  courfe  of  their  lives.  Their 
mouths  will  be  ftopped,  and  they  will  ftand  fpeech- 
lels  and  felf  condemned  before  God.  They  will 
feel,  that  their  inability  is  a  crime,  and  not  a  ca- 
lamity. They  will  feel,  that  they  have  been  free 
and  voluntary  in  all  their  difobedience,  and  there- 
fore deferve  God's  wrath  and  curfe,  both  in  this 
life  and  in  that  which  is  to  come.  Such  are  the 
views  and  feelings,  which  finners  muft  have  foon- 
er  or  kter,  if  they  ever  embrace  the  gofpel  and 
fecure  the  falvation  of  their  fouls.  Let  them, 
therefore,  immediately  give  up  all  their  excufes, 
which  cannot  ftand  before  the  bar  of  God,  nor 
even  before  the  bar  of  their  own  enlightened  con- 
fciences.  Let  them  no  longer  caft  the  blame  of 
their  fins  upon  God,  but  take  it  to  themfelves,  and 
repent  in  duft  and  afhes.  God  now  commandeth 
all  men  every  where  to  repent ;  and  except  they 
do  repent,  they  muft  unavoidably  and  eternally 
perifti. 

Inference 


848  SERMON       X. 

Inper£NC£    XII. 

If  God  works  in  faints  both  to  will  and  to  do  in 
all  their  gracious  exercifes;  then  tliey  ought  to  be 
clothed  with  humility,  and  walk  foftly  before  him. 
*'  Who  hath  made  them  to  differ  ?  and  what  have 
they  that  they  have  not  received  ?"  All  their 
future  exercifes  are  under  the  divine  influence, 
without  which  they  can  do  nothing.  Let  them  al- 
ways acknowledge  God  in  all  their  ways,  that  he 
may  .dire£l  their  paths.  Let  them  watch  and  pray 
without  ceafing,  and  work  out  their  own  falvation 
with  fear  and  trembling.  Renouncing  all  felf- 
dependence,  and  remembering  Noah,  Lot,  David, 
Peter,  and  themfelves,  let  them  truft  in  God  alone, 
who  is  able  to  keep  them  from  falling,  and  to  pre- 
fent  them  faultlefs  before  the  prefence  of  his  glory 
with  exceeding  joy.     Amen. 


SERMON 


SERMON    XI. 

Love  the  EfTence  of  Obedi- 
ence. 

Romans  xiii.  lo. 
Therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law* 

XT  appears  from  the  words  to  which  this 
paflage  refers,  that  the  Apoftle  is  here  fpeaking, 
not  of  the  ceremonial  law,  which  ceafed  at  the 
death  of  Chrift ;  but  of  the  moral  law,  which  ftill 
remains  in  its  full  force  and  obligation.  This  law» 
which  is  founded  in  the  nature  of  things,  and  which 
iis  level  to  every  capacity,  has  been  very  generally 
Tnifunderftood  and  perverted.  The  Scribes  and 
Pharifees,  and  even  Paul  himfelf  before  his  con- 
verfion,  totally  mifapprehended  its  proper  mean- 
ing. Nor  is  it  much  better  underftood  now,  than 
formerly.  This,  however,  is  very  eafy  to  be  ac- 
gpunted  for.  Thofe,  who  are  unwilling  to  do  their 
H  K  duty* 


350  SERMON       XI. 

duty,  are  always  unwiHing  to  become  acquainted 
with  it.  An  undudFul  child  is  difpofed  to  mifun- 
derftand  his  father's  commands  3  an  unfaithful  fer- 
vant  is  apt  to  miftake  his  mafter's  orders;  a  rebel- 
lious fubjeft  is  prone  to  mifconftrue  the  laws  of 
the  flate  ;  ajid  the  fame  fpirit  of  difobedience  in- 
clines all  clafTes  of  Tinners  to  mifunderftand  the  firft 
and  fundamental  rule  of  duty.  But  a  clear  knowl- 
edge of  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  law  of  love 
feems  to  be  very  necefiary,  in  order  to  underfland 
the  do6lrines  and  duties  of  the  gofpel,  and  to  re- 
concile them  with  each  other.  It  is  a  matter  of 
real  importance,  therefore,  to  fet  the  declaration 
in  the  text  in  a  clear  and  confident  light.  And  in 
order  to  this,  it  is  propofed, 

I.    To  defcribe  the  nature  of  love  in  general, 

n.  To  defcribe  the  nature  of  true  love  in  par- 
ticular.    And, 

III.  To  fhow,  that  true  love  is  the  fufilling  of 
the  law. 

I.  The  nature  of  love  in  general  is  to  be  de- 
fer i  bed. 

If  we  turn  our  attention  inwardly  and  examine 
tbe  operations  of  our  own  minds,  we  fhall  be  con- 
vinced, that  love  is  fomething  very  different  from 
either  perception,  reafon,  or  confcience.  Thefe 
are  natural  faculties,  which  do  their  office  inde- 
pendently of  the  will.  It  depends  upon  our  per- 
ception, not  upon  our  will,  whether  an  obje£t 

fhall 


SERMON     XI.  £51 

fliall  appear  either  black  or  white.     It  depends 
upon  our  reafon,  not  upon  our  will,   whether  a 
propofition  fliall  appear  either  true  or  falfe.     It 
depends  u^on  our  confcience,  not  upon  our  will, 
whether  an  aflion  fhall  appear  either  good  or  e- 
vil.     But  it    depends  entirely    upon   our   choice^ 
whether  we  fhall  love  either  a  white  or  a  black  ob- 
jeQ,  either  a  true  or  falfe  propofition,  either  a 
good  or  in   evil-  a£lion.      Hence   we  intuitively 
know,  that  love  is  a  free,  voluntary  afFeQion,  which 
is  entirely  diflinft  from  every  natural  faculty  of 
the  mind.     It  is  neither  a  power  nor  principle  of 
a6lion,  but  rather  an  aft  or  exereifc  itfelf.     And 
in  this  refpeO:,  it  totally  differs  from  every  bodily 
and  mental  tafte>  in  which  we  are  altogether  paf- 
iive.     We  cannot  help  tafting  the  fwectnefs  of 
honey,  nor'  relifhing  the  beauties  of  nature  and  of 
arl^    But  we  are  und-er  no  natural  neceffity  of  lov- 
ing a  beautiful  flower,   nor  an  amiable  chara61;er. 
It  is,  therefore,  the  voice  of  univerfal  experience, 
that  lo^ve  is  a  free,  voluntary  exercife,  which  ef^ 
fentially  differs  from  any   natural  power,   princi- 
ple, tafte,  or  fenfation  of  the  human  mind.     Free* 
dom  and  aftivity  are  effential  to  love  in  general. 
The  next  thing  is, 

11.  To.  defcrihe  the  aature  of  true  love  in  par- 
ticular. 

Since  we  are  free  and  voluntary  in  loving,  there 
i&a:  jull  ground  of  diftinftion  between  true  love 

and 


fi52  SERMON       XI. 

and  falfe.  And  agreeably  to  this  diftinHion,  God 
requires  one  kind  of  love,  and  forbids  another. 
He  requires  us  to  love  himfelf  fupremely,  but  for- 
bids us  fo  to  love  ourfelves,  or  any  other  created 
objeft.  Thefe  two  kinds  of  love  arc  effentially 
different.  The  one  is  true  lovcj  and  the  other 
falfe;  the  one  is  pure  benevolence,  and  the  other 
is  real  lelfifhnefs  j  the  one  is  the  fulfilling,  and  the 
other  the  tranfgreflion,  of  the  law.  It  appears, 
therefore,  to  be  neceffary  to  point  out  the  peculiar 
properties  of  true  love,  by  which  it  is  diftinguifhr 
ed  from  falfe. 

1.  True  love  is  univerfal,  extending  to  being 
in  general,  or  to  God  and  all  his  creatures.  "  The 
righteous  man  regardeth  the  life  of  his  beaft."  The 
primary  objeQ:  of  true  benevolence  is  being  fim- 
ply  confidered,  or  a  mere  capacity  of  enjoying 
happinefs  and  fuffering  pain.  It  neceffarily  em- 
braces God,  <ind  all  fenfitive  natures.  Though 
the  man  of  true  benevolence  takes  2i  peculiar  com^ 
placency  in  God  and  in  all  other  benevolent  beings  ; 
yet  he  wi/hes  well  to  creatures,  that  have  no  benev- 
olence, and  even  to  fuch  as  are  incapable  of  all 
moral  exercifes.  It  is,  therefore,  the  nature  of 
true  benevolence  to  run  parallel  with  univerfal 
being,  whether  uncreated  or  created  ;  whether 
rational  or  irrational ;  whether  holy  or  unholy. 
And  iu  this  refpeft,  it  effentially  differs  from  that 


SERMON     XI.  »5S 

felfifh  and  falfe  afFeBion,  which  centres  in  one  in- 
dividual,   and  terminates  in  perfonal    happinefs. 

2.  Trae  love  is  impartial.  It  regards  every 
proper  objeft  of  benevolence  according  to  its  ap- 
parent worth  and  importance  in  the  fcale  of  being. 
It  regards  God  according  to  his  greatnefs  and  good- 
nefs,  and  of  courfe  more  than  all  created  beings. 
And  among  created  beings,  it  prefers  the  great  to  the 
fmall,  and  the  good  to  the  great.  The  truly  benevo- 
lent man  meafures  his  afFeftions  towards  every  be- 
ing, according  to  its  capacity  and  difpofition  of  do- 
ing, and  of  receivinggood;  and  not  according  to  the 
relation  which  it  bears  to  his  own  private  intereft. 
As  he  values  the  happinefs  of  the  whole  univerfe 
more  than  the  happinefs  of  a  particular  part;  fo 
he  values  the  happinefs  of  each  part  in  exaft  pro- 
portion to  its  intrinfic  and  comparative  worth. 
Such  impartiality  diftinguifhes  true  love  from  that 
tender  mercy  of  the  wicked,  which  is  real  malevo- 
lence and  cruelty  to  all,  who  oppofe  their  private, 
perfonal  intereft. 

3.  True  love  is  not  only  univerfal  and  impar- 
tial, but  difinterefted.  Mercenary  love  can  never 
form  a  virtuous  character.  This  Cicero  demon- 
(Irates  in  his  treatife  concerning  moral  ends.  This 
all  dramatic  writers  acknowledge,  by  forming  their 
amiable  characters  upon-  the  principle  of  difinter- 
efted benevolence.  And  this  God  himfelf  main- 
tains in  his  9ontroverfy  with  Satan  about  the  (in- 

cerity 


,54  S    E    R    M   O   N    Xr^ 

cerity  of  Job.  If  there  be  any  fuch  thingas  vif% 
tue,  therefore,  it  mufl;  confift  in  difinterefted  love. 
Accordingly  the  Scripture  reprefents  all  holy  and 
virtuous  afFeftions  as  difinterefted.  David  faya 
of  the  citizen  of  Zion,  though  "he  fweareth  to 
his  own  hurt,  he  changeth  not."  Paul  fays  of 
himfelf,  "  Though  I  fpeak  with  the  tongues  of  men 
and  of  angels,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become 
as  founding  brafs,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal.  And 
though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  under* 
Hand  all  myfteries  and  all  knowledge,  and  though 
X  have  ail  faith,  fo  that  I  could  remove  mount 
tains,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing.  And 
though  I  beftow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor, 
and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  and 
have  not  charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing."  Why 
is  charity  fo  fuperladvely  excellent,  and  fo  abfo- 
lutely  effential  to  a  virtuous  charafter  ?  The  Apof- 
tie  tells  us  in  the  next  verfe  but  one.  It  is  becaufe 
«•  charity  feeketh  not  her  own.''  Such  difinterefted  love 
the  gofpel  every  where  inculcates,  and  efpecially  in 
the  precepts  following.  **  If  thine  enemy  hunger, 
feed  him;  if  he  thirft,  give  him  water  to  drink. 
Be  not  overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with 
good.  Let  no  man  feek  his  own,  but  every  man 
ainother's  wealth.  Look  not  every  man  on  lii» 
own  things,  but  every  man  alfo  on  the  things  of 
others."  According  to  the  plain  and  obvious 
meaning  of  the fe  palfages,  true  love  is  difintereft- 
ed, 


S    t    R    M    O    N      XI.  455 

e8,'  and  effentially  different  from  every  felfifh  and 
finful  afFedion.     It  only  remains  to  fhow, 

III.  That  true  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law. 
The  fpirit  of  this  propofition  is,  that  pure,  genu- 
ine benevolence  is  the  effence  and  comprehenfiort 
of  all  the  obedience,  which  God  requires  in  his 
word.  To  eftablifh  this  great  and  fundamental 
doctrine  of  religion,  I  would  obferve, 

1.  That  true  benevolence  conforms  the  heart 
to  God.  God  is  love.  His  whole  moral  charafter 
confifts  in  the  various  exercifes  and  expreffions  of 
pure  benevolence.  Thofe,  therefore,  who  feel 
and  exprefs  a  truly  benevolent  fpirit,  are  conform- 
ed to  God,  the  ftandard  of  moral  perfeftion.  So 
our  Saviour  taught  his  difciples.  "  Ye  have  heard, 
that  it  hath  been  faid,  Thou  (halt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor, and  hate  thine  enemy  :  But  I  fay  unto  you. 
Love  your  enemies,  blefs  them  that  curfe  you,  do 
goodto  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
that  defpitefully  ufe  you,  and  perfecute  you  ;  that 
ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven:  for  he  maketh  his  fun  to  rife  on  the  evil 
and  on  the  good,  and  fendeth  rain  on  the  juft  and 
on  the  unjuft.  For  if  ye  love  them  which  love 
you,  what  reward  have  ye  ?  do  not  even  the  pub- 
licans the  fame  ?  And  if  ye  falute  your  brethren 
only,  what  do  ye  more  than  others  ?  do  not  even  the 
publicans  fo  ?  Be  ye  therefore  perfeB,  even  as  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfcB,"    If  the  moral 

perfeQion 


:i^6^  S    E    R    M    O    N     XI. 

perfe6lion  of  man  confifl  in  conformity  to  the 
moral  perfeftion  of  God,  and  the  moral  perfeftion 
of  God.  confift  in  love;  then  love  muft  be  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law.  Certainly  God  cannot  re- 
q^uire  man  to  be  more  holy  or  perfeft,  than  Him- 
fclf. 

2.  It  appears  from  exprefs  declarations  of  Scrip- 
ture, that  love  anfwers  the  full  demand  of  the  law* 
When  a  certain  man  alked  our  Saviour,  "  Which 
is  the  great  commandment  in  the  law  ?"    He  repli- 
ed, '•  Thou  fhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  foul,  and  with  all  thy^ 
mind.     This  is  the  firft  and  great  commandment : 
And  the  fecond  is  like  unto  it,  Thou  Ihalt  love 
thy  neighbor  as  thyfelf.     On  thefe  two  command- 
ments hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets."     This 
lafl  claufe  fixes  our  Lord's  meaning,  and  leaves  no 
room  to  doubt,, that  true  love  fulfils,  not  only  the 
firft  and  fecond,  but  every  other  precept,  of  the 
law.     The  Apoftle  James,  fpeaking  on  the  fame 
fubje6l,   fays,  "  The  end  of  the  commandment  is 
charity  out  of  a, pure  heart."     By  this  he  declares 
that  charity  or  true  love  fully  anfwers  the  fpirit  and 
defign  of  the  law.     And  he  conveys  the  fame  fen* 
timent  by  a  different  mode  of  expreflion.    "  If  ye 
fulfil  the  royal  law  according  to  Scripture,  Thou 
fhalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyfelf."     The  Apoftle 
Paul,  having  exhorted  believers  to  exercife  a  vari- 
Tgiy  of  holy  afFetlious,  concludes  by  faying,   "  A- 

bove 


SERMON      XI. 


^57 


bove  all  thefe-  things  put  on  charity,  which  is  the 
bond  of  pcrfednefs."     By  this  he  intimates,   that 
true   love   comprizes  and   links   together   all  the 
chriftian  graces  and   virtues,  which  form  a  per- 
fetl  moral  chara6ler.     And  he  fays  the  fame  thing 
again  in  plainer  terms.     "  All  the  law  is  fulfilled  ia 
one  word,  even  this;   Thou  fliall  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyfelf."      Thefe  palfages,  taken  in  their 
mod  eafy  and  natural  fenfe,  plainly  teach  us,  that 
love  anfwers  all  the  demands  of  the  law. 

3.  It  is  the  nature  of  true  love  to  make  us  feel 
and  aft  in  every  refpeft,  juft  as  God  requires.     So 
far  as  we  poffefs  true  benevolence,  we  fhall  both 
internally  and  externally  obey  every  divine  com- 
mand.    We  fliall  not  only  feel  properly  towards 
God,  our  neighbor,  and  ourfelves;  but  alfo  ex- 
prefs  our  feelings  by  all  proper  external  aftipns. 
Are  we  commanded  to  rejoice,    that  the     Lord  ' 
reigneth  ?     If  we  love  God,  we   fliall  fincerely  re- 
joice in  his  fupreme  and  univerfal  dominion.    Are 
we   commanded  to  pray  without  ceafing  ?    If  we 
lave  God,  we  fliall  take  pleafure  in  pouring  out 
our  hearts  before  him  in  prayer.     Are  we  com- 
manded to  do  every  thing  to  the   glory  of  God  ? 
If  we  love  God,  we  fliall  do  every  thing  heartily 
as  unto  the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men.    Are  we  com- 
manded to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jefus  C^irift  ?  If 
we  efteem  him  the  chiefeft  among  ten  thoufand,  we 
fhall  naturally  exercife  that  faith,  which  worketh 
I  I  by 


258  S   E    R    M    O    N      XL 

by  love.     Are  we  exhorted  to  do  to  others,  as  we 
would,   that  others  fhould  do  to  us  ?    If  we  love 
others  as  ourfelvcs,  we  fhall  as  really  feek  their  in- 
tereft,  as  our  own.     Are  rulers  required  to  pro- 
mote the  good  of  their  fubjefls  ?  If  they  love  their 
fubjefts,  they  will  exert  all  their  poWer  and  abili- 
ties,  to  promote  their  peace  and  profperity.     Is  it 
the  duty  of  fubje^s   to  obey  their  rulers?     If 
they  love   their  I'ulers,  they  will  obey  them,  not 
only  for  wrath,  but  alfo  for  confcience  fake.    Does 
it  become  the  rich  to  be  kind  to  the  poor?  If  the 
love  of  God  be  flied  abroad  in  their  hearts,  they 
cannot  fee  proper  objects  of  charity,  and  yet  fliut 
up  their  bowels  of  compaflion  from  them,     in  a 
word,  if  there  be  any  other  commandment,  which 
has  not  been  mentioned,  love  will  prompt  men  to 
obey  it. 

This  natural  tendency  of  love,  to  produce  eve- 
ry virtuous  feeling  and  aftion,  is  beautifully  illuf- 
trated  by  the  Apoftle's  defcription  of  charity  j 
which,  he  fays,  "  fuffereth  long,  and  is  kindj  and 
which  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hop- 
eth  all  things,  endureth  all  things.**  Such  patience, 
kindnefs,  candor,  and  felf-denial,  love  has  often 
produced.  Love  led  Abraham  to  offer  up  Ifaac. 
Love  led  Mofes  to  renounce  all  bis  worldly  prof- 
pefts,  and  to  fuflFer  afFliQion  with  the  people  of 
God.  Love  led  the  prophets,  the  Apoftles,  and 
primitive  chriftiansj  to  perform  aftonifhing  afts  of 

'*'         obedience 


SERMON      XI. 


«55 


obedierice  and  fufFering.  And  love  led  the  man 
Chrift  Jefus  to  fuffer  and  die  on  the  crofs  for  the 
falvation  of  finners.  Love,  therefore,  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law,  as  it  prompts  men  to  do  every 
thing,  which  God  commands.     Add  to  this, 

4.  Love  reftrains  men  from  every  thing,  which 
God  forbids.  The  law  has  prohibitions  as  well  as 
precepts.  God  forbids  fome  things  as  well  as  re- 
quires others.  And  it  is  the  nature  of  love  to  re- 
ftrain  men  from  doing  what  God  forbids,  as  well  as 
to  prompt  them  to  do  what  God  enjoins.  We  read, 
"  Charity  envjeth  not,  charity  vaunteth  not  itfelf, 
is  not  pufFed  up,  doth  not  behave  itfelf  unfeemly, 
is  not  eafily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil,  rejoiceth 
not  in  iniquity."  So  long  as  love  reigns  in  the 
heart,  it  reftrains  men  from  envy,  pride,  vanity, 
refentment,  and  every  unfeemly  thought,  word  and 
aQion,  which  God  has  forbidden.  And  it  is  in 
more  particular  reference  to  this  reftraining  influ- 
ence of  love,  that  the  Apoftle  fays  it  is  the  fulfil- 
ling of  the  law.  This  appears  from  the  words  be- 
fore the  text.  "  Owe  no  man  any  thing,  but  to 
love  one  another;  for  he  that  loveth  another  hath 
fulfilled  the  law.  For  this.  Thou  fhalt  not  com- 
mit adultery.  Thou  fhalt  not  kill,  Thou  fiialt  not 
Ileal,  Thou  ihalt  not  bear  falfe  witnefsj  Thou  fhalt 
not  covet;  and  if  there  be  any  other  command- 
ment, it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  this  faying. 
Thou  fhalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyfelf.     Love 

worketh 


26o  SERMON       XI. 

worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbor,  therefore  love  is 
the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  If  a  man  love  his  neigh- 
bor, he  will  not  injure  his  pcrfon,  nor  property, 
nor  chara6ter.  If  a  man  love  his  enemy,  he  will 
not  render  evil  for  evil,  but  blefling  for  curfing. 
If  a  man  love  his  country,  he  will  do  nothing  to 
injure  its  profperity  and  happinefs.  And  if  a  man 
love  God,  he  will  neither  profane  his  name,  nOr 
diflionor  his  Son,  nor  refill  his  Spirit,  nor  oppofe 
his  kingdom,  nor  complain  of  his  providence,  nor 
do  any  thing  to  rob  him  of  his  glory.  Love  work- 
eth no  ill  to  any  created,  nor  uncreated  being; 
and,  therefore,  it  is  in  this  and  all  other  refpe£ls, 
the  fulfilling  of  the  law, 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  If  all  obedience  to  the  divine  law  confiftsin 
the  pojiiive  exercife  of  true  love;  then  all  difobe- 
dience  to  the  divine  law  muft  confift  in  the  pojitive 
exercife  of  falfe  love,  or  real  felfifhnefs.  The  mere 
want  of  love  cannot  be  a  tranfgreflion  of  the  law 
of  love.  Though  all  the  animal  tribes  are  totally 
deflitate  of  that  love,  which  the  law  requires;  jet 
they  do  not  difobey  the  will  of  their  Maker.  A 
mere  want  is  a  mere  nothing,  and  a  mere  nothing 
has  no  natural,  nor  moral  qualities.  It  is  as  hard 
to  conceive,  that  difobedicnce  fhould  confift  in 
mere  privation,   as  to  conceive,   that  obedience 

fliould. 


SERMON     XI.  261 

fliould.  It  is  as  hard  to  conceive,  that  fin  fhould 
originate  from  a  mere  want  of  holinefs,  as  to  con- 
ceive, that  holinefs  fliould  originate  from  the  mere 
want  of  fin.  This  leads  us  to  fuppofe,  that  both 
fin  and  holinefs  have  a  pofitive  exiftence,  and  a 
diametrically  oppofite  nature.  And  fince  all  the 
holinefs,  which  the  law  requires,  confifts  in  pofitive 
benevolence,  it  naturally  follows,  that  all  the  fin, 
which  the  law  condemns,  confifts  in  pofitive  felf- 
iftinefs.  Thefe  two  kinds  of  love  do  aftually  ex- 
ift  and  oppofe  each  other.  Interefted  love  oppof- 
es  difinterefte<l;  partial  love  oppofes  impartial; 
the  love  of  a  detached  individual  oppofes  the  love 
of  being  in  general.  Selfiflmefs  difpofes  any  per- 
fon  to  feek  his  own  private,  feparate  intereft,  in 
oppofition  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of 
the  univerfe.  The  law,  which  requires  pofitive 
benevolence,  muft  necefTarily  condemn  fuch  pofi- 
tive felfiflinefs, .  and  nothing  elfe.  Accordingly 
we  find,  that  nothing  but  felfiflinefs  and  its  various 
modifications  are  condemned  in  the  Bible.  The 
Apoftle  tells  us,  that  "  fin  is  a  tranfgrejfwn  of  the 
law,"  and  not  a  mtre  want  of  conformity  to  it.  Pof- 
itive felfiflmefs,  and  nothing  elfe,  is  the  tranfgref- 
fion  of  the  law  of  pure,  difinterefted  benevolence. 
2.  If  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law ;  then  a 
good  heart  confifts  in  love.  A  good  heart  is  cer- 
tainly required.  God  fays,  "My  fon,  give  me 
thine  heart."     And  he  fays  to  finners  in  general, 

«  »^ake 


«62  S   E   R   M    O    N     XL 

"Make  you  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  fpifit."  He 
alfo  reprobates  the  beft  fervices  of  thofe,  who  are 
deltitute  of  a  good  heart.  "This  people  draw, 
eth  nigh  unto  me  with  their  mouth,  and  honoreth 
me  with  their  hps,  but  their  heart  is  far  from  me." 
Solomon  reprefents  the  heart  as  forming  the  mor-. 
al  chara6ler  of  every  perfon.  ^«  As  a  man  thinks 
eth  in  his  heart,  fo  is  he."  It  is,  indeed,  the  gen* 
eral  reprefentation  of  Scripture,  that  a  good  heart 
conftitutes  a  good  man.  Now,  if  this  be  true,  a 
good  heart  muft  confift  in  loye;  for  love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law.  Hence,  when  God  requires 
a  good  heart,  he  requires  love,  and  when  he  re- 
quires love,  he  requires  a  good  heart.  And  though 
it,  is  faid  in  the  text,  that  love  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law ;  yet  it  may  be  as  truly  faid,  that  a  good 
heart  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law. 

It  is  the  dilate  of  common  fenfe,  that  a  good 
heart  conlifts  in  love.  For  only  feparate  love 
from  ^  good  heart,  and  there  will  be  no  good 
heart  left.  If  a  good  heart  were  diftin6l  from  love, 
then  we  could  form  a  clear  idea  of  it  diflin6l  from 
love.  But  whenever  we  think  of  a  good  heart, 
either  in  ourfelves  or  in  others,  we  think  of  kind, 
lender,  benevolent  feelings,  or  the  exercifes  of 
pure,  divine  love.  And  it  is  out  of  our  power  to 
conceive  of  a  good  heart,  which  is  not  wholly  com- 
pofed  of  good  affeftionsj  or  the  genuine  feelings 
of  true  benevolence. 

i.  If 


S   E   R    M    O    N     XI.  263 

'**!fwe  now  attend  to  the  fruits  of  a  good  heart, 
we  Ihall  find  them  to  be  the  fame  as  the  fruits  of 
love.    A  good  heart  will  produce  fpiritual  and  di- 
vfne  knowledge.     Speaking  of  his  peculiar  peo- 
ple, God  fays,  "  I  will  give  them  an  heart  to  knov} 
me."    The  Apoftle  afcribes  the  fame  effeft  to  love. 
•'Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another:    for   love  is 
of  God,  and  every    one  that  loveth  is  born  of 
God,  and  knoweth  God."     The  Scripture  alfo  re- 
prefents  a  good  heart  as  the  fource   of  all  moral 
goodnefs.     "A  good  man,  Ihys  our  Lord,  out  of 
the  good  treafure  of  the  heart  bringeth  forth  good 
things."     But  if  love  be  the   fulfilling  of  the  law, 
then  love  is  equally  the  fource  of  all  moral  good- 
nefs.    According  to  Scripture,  as  well  as  the  com- 
mon fenfe  of  mankind,  the  love  and   the  good 
heart,  which  God  requires,  are  one  and  the  feme 
thing,  and  produce  the  fame  effefts.     Does  a  good 
heart  form  the  whole  moral  chara6ler  ?    So  does 
love.     Does  a  good  heart  comprife  all  that  the  law 
requires  ?  So  does  love.     Does  a  good  heart  pro- 
duce every  holy  afFeftion    and  virtuous  aQion? 
So  does  love.     There  is  not  a  fingle  quality  in  a 
good  heart,  which  cannot  be  found  in  love.     Nor 
can  a  good  heart  be  defcribed,  without  defcribing 
that  very  love,  which  is  the   fulfilling  of  the  law. 
Whoever,   therefore,  attempts  to  diftinguifh  true 
love  from  a  good  heart,  or  a  good  heart  from  true 
love,  undertakes  a  talk,  which  the  Scripture  will 
ivever  enable  him  to  perform. 

3  w 


264  SERMON       XI. 

3.  If  true  love  be  the  good  heart,  which  God 
requires;  then  falfe  love  or  felfifhnef*  is  the  bad 
heart,  which  God  condemns.  A  bad  heart  is  di- 
reftly  oppofite  to  a  good  heart.  And  if  a  good 
heart  confifts  in  benevolence,  a  bad  heart  muft 
confiftin  felfifhnefs.  This  conclufionis  fupported 
by  the  defcription,  which  the  facred  writers  give 
of  a  bad  heart.  They  reprefent  it  as  produ6live 
of  moral  blindnefs.  The  Apoftle  fays  of  finners, 
"Their  underftanding  is  darkmed,  being  alienated 
from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is 
in  them,  becaufe  of  the  blindAiefs  of  the  heart  "  And 
again  he  fays,  "  He  that  loveth  not  knozueth  not  God" 
Thefe  reprefentalions  agree  with  the  declaration 
of  Chrift.  "  If  thine  eye,  that  is,  thine  heart  be  evilj 
thy  whole  body  fhall  be  full  of  darknefs"  Now,  it 
i&  found  by  univerfal  experience,  that  felfifhnefs 
has  the  fame  tendency  to  blind  the  mind  with  ref- 
pe6l  to  God  and  duty.  We  never  pretend  to  con- 
fide in  our  own  judgment,  nor  in  that  of  others, 
when  we  believe,  that  either  they  or  we  are  under 
the  influence  of  felfifh  feelings.  In  this  refpefl:, 
felfiflinefs  and  a  bad  heart  are  exaBly  alike. 

And  fo  they  are  in  another  refpeft.  A  bad 
heart  is  the  fource  of  all  evil  affeftions  and  anions. 
This  our  Saviour  exprefsly  afferts.  "  An  evil 
man  out  of  the  evil  treafure  of  his  heart  bringeth 
forth  evil  things.  For  out  of  the  heart  proceed 
evil   thoughts,   murders,    adulteries,  fornications, 

thefts. 


SERMON       XI.  265 

thefts,  falfe  witnefs,  blafphemies."  Such  are  the 
natural  fruits  of  an  evil  heart :  and  fuch,  the  Apof- 
tle  tells  us,  are  the  fruits  of  felf-iove.  "  In  the 
laft  days,  lays  he,  perilous  times  fliall  come. 
For  men  fhall  be  lovers  of  their  oiunfelvcs."  This  is 
felfiftinefs,  which,  he  pro.ceeds  to  fay,  fliall  make 
men  "covetous,  boaflers,  proud,  blafphemersj  dif- 
obedient  to  parents,  unthankful,  unholy,  without 
natural  afFedion,  truce-breakers,  falfe  accufers, 
incontinent,  (ierce,  defpifers  of  thofe  that  are  good, 
traitors,  heady,  high-minded,  lovers  of  pleafure 
more  than  lovers  of  God."  According  to  thefe 
defcriptions  of  felf-love  and  a  bad  heart,  it  ap- 
pears, that  they  are  one  and  the  fame  thing.  Self- 
ifhnefs  is  all  the  evil  heart,  that  we  ever  find  def- 
eribed  in  Scripture,  that  we  ever  fee  afted  out,  or 
that  we  ever  feel  in  our  own  breads.  We  mud 
conclude,  therefore,  that  a  bad  heart  wholly  con- 
fifts  in  felfifhnefs,  which  is  inimical  to  God  and 
man,  and  which  is  produ8:ive  of  all  moral  evil. 

4.  It  appears  from  what  has  been  faid  in  this, 
difcourfe,  that  many  entertain  very  wrong  ideas 
upon  the  fubjed  we  have  beeo  confidering. 

Some  fuppofe,  that  a  good  heart  efTentially  con- 
fids  in  a  good  principle,  tade,  or  relidi,  which  is 
totally  independent  of  the  will.  They  imagine, 
that  A-dam  was  created  with  fuch  a  good  principle, 
tafte,  or  reliOi;  which  was  the  fource  of  all  his  ho- 
ly exercifes  and  a6lions,  before  the  fall.  And  up- 
K  K  'on 


25^  S    E    R    M    O    N     Hh 

on  this  ground  they  fuppofe,  that  regeneration 
confifts  in  implanting  a  new  principle,  tafte,  or 
rcUlh  in  the  mind,  which  is  the  foin  ce  of  all  the 
holy  exercifes  of  the  fubje6l  of  grace.  But  this 
fentiment  is  totally  repugnant  to  the  law  of  love. 
T^his  law  requires  no  fuch  principle  of  holinefs,  bat 
hc-?lncfs  itfelf.  This  law  requires  nothing  which 
is' 'prvidits '  to  lave,  but  love  itfelf.  This  law  re- 
qiii'res  no  dormant,  ina6live,  tofpid  difpofition, 
inclination,  or  tafte,  but  the  free,  voluntary  exer- 
cffe  of  true  benevolence.  '  ' 

Some  fuppofe,  that  a  bad  heart  Confifts  in  a  bad 
principle,'  difpofition,  or  inclination ;  which  is  en- 
tirely didinft  from  finful,  voluntary  exercifes. 
They  reprefent  a  corrupt  nature  or  depraved  heart, 
as  the  fource  of  all  finful  affeftions  and  paffions. 
And  they  maintain,  that  this  corrupt  nature  is  con- 
veyed from  Adam  to  all  his  pofterity,  who,  they 
fuppofe,  are  morally  depraved,  before  they  have 
one  Cnful  exercife,  volition,  or  afFe6^ion.  But  it 
appears  from  what  has  been  faid  in  this  difcourfe, 
that  all  finfulnefs  confifts  in  the  various  exercifes 
and  modifications  of  felf-love.  The  divine  lav/ 
condemns  thefe  exercifes  and  nothing  elfe.  And 
our  confciences  concur  with  the  fentence  of  the 
law,  and  condemn  us  for  finful  exercifes  only. 
Hence  we  intuitively  know,  that  we  never  did  de- 
rive a  morally  corrupt  nature,  or  a  morally  cor- 
rupt principle,  or  a  morally  corrupt  heart,  from 

Adam, 


S    E   R    M    O    N     XL  ^ey 

Adam.     All  oar  Qn  is  perfonal,  and   con£fts  in 
our  own  free  and  voluntary  exercifes. 

Some  fuppofe,  that  firmers  are  under  no  obliga- 
lion  to  exercife  that  love,  which  the  law  requires, 
until  they  hav€  a  new  principle,  dirpQlition,  or  in- 
clinatiqn  implanted  in  their  minds,  by  the  regen- 
erating influences  of  the  divine  Spirit,  But  if 
there  can  be  no  fuch  thing  as  an  holy  principle, 
difpofition,  or  inclination,  which  is  diftinft  from 
true  love,  or  the  exercife  of  real  benevolence ; 
then  they  may  be  obliged  to  have  that  love,  which 
the  law  requiresj  before  they  are  regenerated  as 
well  as  afterwards.  Their  obligation  to  love  God 
does  not  depend  upon  any  holy  principle,  which 
is  diftiiift  from  love;  but  upon  their  natural  cd- 
pacify  to  love  all  the  proper  obje6ls  of  benevolence. 
They  are  as  able  to  love  God,  before  they  are  re- 
generated as  afterwards ;  and  therefore  are  as 
much  obliged  to  lore  God,  before  they  are  born 
again,  as  after  they  have  been  made  the  fubjefts 
of  fpecial  grace. 

Some  fuppofe,  that  finners  arc  pajfive  in  having 
a  new  heart,  or  in  becoming  real  faints.  But  if 
a  new  heart  does  not  confift  in  a  principle  of  ho- 
Jinefs,  but  in  the  exercife  of  holinefs  or  true  be- 
nevolence ;  then  the  (inner  may  be  as  aHivc  in  be- 
ginning to  be  holy,  as  in  continuing  to  be  holy; 
in  turning  from  fin  to  holinefs,  as  in  perfetling  ho- 
linefs in  the  fear  of  God. 

Seme 


268  SERMON       XI. 

Some  fuppofe,  that,  after  men  are  regenerated, 
thev  have  two  hearts,  an  old  heart  and  a  new  one, 
which  co-exift  in  their  minds,  and  conftantly  pro- 
duce diametrically  oppofite  afFe6lions.  The  new 
heart,  they  fuppoCe,  is  a  new  principle,  which  con- 
ftantly produces  holy  affeftions ;  and  the  bid  heart 
is  an  old  principle,  which  conftantly  produces  un- 
holy affeSlions.  And  upon  this  ground,  they  fup- 
pofe, there  is  a  continual  warfare  in  the  minds  of 
good  men,  between  their  old  and  new  heart.*  But 
if  the  new  heart  confifts  in  that  love,  which  the  law 
requires,  and  the  old  heart  confifts  in  that  love, 
which  the  law  condemns;  then  faints  never  have 
properly  two  hearts,  but  only  one;  which  is  fome- 
times  holy  and  fometimes  finful.  This  is  agreea- 
ble to  their  daily  experience.  They  find  their 
heart  to  be  like  a  deceitful  bow.  It  may  be  one 
hour  in  a  holy  and  heavenly  frame  ;  and  the  next 
hour  in  a  frame  entirely  different.  But  they  are 
never  confcious  of  loving  and  of  hating  God,  at 
one  and  the  fame  time. 

Some  fuppofe,  that  good  men  are  better  than 
their  free  and  voluntary  exercifes  are.  They  im- 
agine, that  faints  may  have  grace  in  principle,  while 
they  have  none  in  exercife.  But  fince  love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law,  there  is  no  foundation  for  this 

fentiment, 

*  It  is  not  denied,  that  there  is  a  Ipiritual  warfare  in  th$ 
jninds  of  true  chriftians ;  but  only  that  this  warfare  does  not 
arife  from  two  diflinfl,  oppofite  hearts. 


SERMON      XI.  269 

fentiment.  Saints  have  juft  as  much  grace  as  true 
iove,  and  no  more.  They  are  juft  as  good  as  their 
holy  cxercifes  are,  and  no  better.  Whenever  they 
exercife  any  felfifh  aflPeflionjthey  as  really  tranfgrefs 
the  divine  law,  and  fall  under  the  divine  difpleaf- 
ure,  as  if  they  never  had  pofleffed  one  gracious 
afFe6tion,'or  benevolent  feeling.  Such  fentiments 
as  thefe,  which  are  founded  on  a  dormant  princi- 
ple" of  grace,  which  is  diftinft  from  every  gracious 
exercife,  muft  appear  entirely  groundlefs,  if  love 
is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  and  comprizes  the  whole 
duty  of  man. 

5.  Since  love  anfwers  all  the  demands  of  the 
law,  finners  have  no  excufe  for  not  obeying  any 
one  of  its  precepts.  God  has  furnifhed  them  with 
all  the  natural  faculties,  which  are  neceffary  in  or- 
der to  underftand  and  perform  their  whole  duty. 
And  all  that  he  requires  of  them  is,  to  exercife  true 
love  or  real  benevolence  to  the  extent  of  thofe 
natural  powers,  which  they  already  poffefs.  It  is 
true,  he  requires  them  to  make  themfelves  a  new 
heart;  but  the  new  heart,  which  he  requires  them 
to  make,  confifts  in  love.  It  i-s  true,  he  requires 
them  to  be  perfe6l ;  but  "the  perfection,  which  he 
requires  them  to  have,  confifts  in  love.  It  is  true, 
he  requires  them  to  clean fe  themfelves  from  all 
filthinefs  of  flefh  and  fpirit;  but  all  this  cleanfing 
confifts  in  love.  It  is  true,  he  requires  them  to 
repent;  to  believe,  to  fubmit,  and  to  deny  them- 
felves ; 


270  S    E   R    M    O    N     XL 

[elves y  but  all  the  repentance,  faith,  fubmiflion, 
and  feif-denial,  which  he  requires,  coufifts  in  love. 
In  a  word,  there  is  not  a  fingle  duty  enjoined  upon 
finners,  but  what  true  love  will  perform.  Hence, 
if  they- have  no  excufe  for  the  want  of  that  love, 
which  the  law  requires,  they  can  have  no  excufe 
for  not  yielding  univerfal  obedience  Lp  the  divine 
commands, 

6.    If  the  law  requires  nothing  but  loye;  then 
it  always  approves  itfelf  xo  every  awakened  and 
enlightened  confcience.      While   finners  indulge 
themfelves   in  carnal  eafe  and  fecurity,   they  are 
ready  to  think  and  fay,  that  God  is  a  hard  mailer, 
reaping    where   he  has  not  fown,  and   gathering 
where  he  had  not  ftrawed.     But  when  their  con- 
fcience is  awakened  to  fee,  that  God  requires  no 
heart,  no  inward  exercife,  no  external  a61ion,  but 
what  confifts  in  or  flows  from  love,  they  feel  the 
propriety  and  juftice  of  every  divine  precept.  Paul 
never  felt  the  force  of  the  divine  law,  until  it  was 
fet  home  upon  his  confcience.     Then  he  found  it 
required  nothing  but  benevolence,  and  condemn- 
ed nothing  but  felfifhnefs.     This  took  away  every 
excufe,  and  filled  his  confcience  with  guilt  and  re- 
morfe.     He  freely  confefles,   "  I  had  not  known 
luft,  except  the  law  had  faid,  Thoujliak  nof  covet — 
but  when  this  commandment  came,  fin  revived, 
and  I  died."     He  felt  himfelf  juftly  condemned, 
for  having  always  lived  in  the  exercife  of  a/f//?/7z, 

in  (lead 


S   E  R  M   O    N      XI.  iji 

inQ.e2ido(  a.  benevolent  fpirit*  And  all  awakened  and 
convinced  finners  have  the  fame  view  of  diem- 
felves.  Their  confciences  compel  them,  in  fpit© 
of  their  hearts,  to  acknowledge,  that  the  law,  which 
condemns  theni  for  all  their  paft  felfifhnefs,  and 
which  requires  them  immediately  to  love  God  fu- 
premely^  upon  pain  of  eternal. deftru6lion,  is  per- 
fcftly  holy,  juft  and  good. 

7.  If  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  then  no- 
thing without  love  can   fulfil  it.     This  multitudes 
deny  both  in  theory  and  in  praOice.     The  Scribes 
and  Pharifees  totally  excluded  love  from  the  ef- 
fence  of  obedience.     The  Pharifee,  who  went  up 
to  the  temple  to  pray,  placed  all  his  obedience  and 
hopes  of  divine  acceptance  in  the  mere  externals 
of  religion.     The  young  man,  who  came   to  our 
Saviour  to  know  the  way  to  eternal   life,    verily- 
thought,  that  he  had  perfectly  obeyed  the  law  from 
his  youth  up,  merely  becaufe  he  had  never  been 
guilty  of  aijy /overt  aQ;  of  cranfgreffion.      And 
Paul  alfo  while  in  a  ftate  of  nature,  and  a  perfeft 
enemy  to  God,  viewed  himfelf,  "as  touching  the 
law  blamelefs."     The   fame  fentiment  refpefting 
the  nature  of  true  obedience  ftill  continues  and 
prevails.     Many  imagine,  that  though  they  have 
not  the  love  of  God  in  them ;  yet  by  reading  and 
praying ;  by  attending  public  worfhip  and  divine 
ordinances;  and  by  outward  a6ls  of  juftice,  kind- 
nefsj  and  compaffion,  they  can  acceptably  perform 

fome 


272 


SERMON       XL 


fome  part,  if  not  the  whole  of  their  duty.  ,  But  if 
love  be  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  then  nothing  done 
■without  love  is  the  leaft  obedience  to  the  divine 
commands.  This  do61rine  Chrift  abundantly  taught 
in  his  fernion  on  the  mount,  and  in  the  whole 
courfe  of  his  preaching.  Hear  his  fevere  and 
pointed,  reproofs  to  the  Jewifh  Teachers,  who 
feparated  obedience  from  love.  "Wo  unto  you^ 
Scribes  and  Pharifees,  hypocrites!  for  ye  pay  tithe 
of  mint,  and  anifej  and  cummin,  and  have  omit- 
ted the  weightier  matters  of  the  lawj  judgment, 
mercy,  arid  faith :  thefe  ought  ye  to  have  done, 
and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone.  Ye  blind 
guides,  which  drain  at  a  gnat,  and  fwallow  a  camel. 
Wo  unto  you,  Scribes  and  Pharifees,  hypocrites  f 
for  ye  make  clean  the  outjide  of  the  cup,  and  of  the 
platter,  but  ivithin  they  are  full  of  extortion  and 
excefs.'  Thou  blind  Pharifee,  cleanfe  Jirji  that 
which  is  rvithin  ih^  cup  and  platter,  that  the  out' 
Jide  o^  them  may  be  clean  alfo.  Wo  unto  you, 
Scribes  and  Pharifees,  hypocrites!  for  ye  are  like 
unto  whited  fepulchres,  which  indeed  appear  beau- 
tiful outward,  but  are  within  full  of  dead  men's 
bones,  and  of  all  uncleannefs.  Even  fo  ye  out- 
xvardh  appear  righteous  unto  men,  but  within  ye 
are  full  of  hypocrify  and  iniquity."  The  law  of 
love  requires  nothing  feparate  from  love;  and, 
therefore,  no  religious  profeffions,  no  religious  de- 
fires,  no  religious  performances,  which  are  fepa- 
rate 


SERMON    XI.  273 

fate  from  love,  do  in  the  leaft  degree  fulfil  the 
law.  Heace  it  is  the  firft  and  immediate  auty  of 
linners  to  exercife  that  love,  which  the  law  re- 
quires. They  cannot  perform  a  fingle  duty  with- 
out the  exercife  of  love.  They  can  neither  re- 
pent, nor  believe,  nor  do  any  thing  acceptable  to 
God,  until  they  renounce  their  enmity  to  him,  and 
love  him  fupremely.  They  muft  be  reconciled 
to  the  law,  before  they  can  be  reconciled  to  the 
gofpel.  They  muft  love  the  law,  before  they  can 
love  the  gofpel,  and  embrace  the  offers  of  life  3  for 
faving  faith  workcth  by  love.  Let  every  finner, 
therefore,  immediately  obey  the  firft  and  great 
commandment,  and  exercife  that  love,  which  a- 
lone  will  fecure  the  favor  and  enjoyment  of  God. 
<'  God  is  love ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dweU 
leth  in  God,  and  God  in  him.'' 


L  L  S  E  Pv  M  O  N 


SERMON    XII. 

The  primitive  Redlitude  of 
Adam. 

— XXXKXX«<S>«0«0'XXXXXX— — 

ECCLESIASTES  VII.   29. 

Xo,  this  only  have  I  found,  that  God  hath  made  man  up- 
right^ 

XT  is  one  mark  of  our  univerfal  deprav- 
ity, that  we  have  been  fo  prone  to  repioach  pur 
common  Progenitor.  No  parent,  perhaps,  has  ev- 
er been  treated  with  fo  little  propriety  and  refpefl:, 
as  Adam.  Some-  of  his  undutiful  children  have 
virtually  charge^  him  with  all  the  fin  and  guilt  in 
the  world;  while  others  have  even  ventured  to 
call  in  queftion  his  moral  purity  and  perfe6tion,  be- 
fore his  fall.  But  Solomon  fpeaks  of  our  firft  Pa- 
rent with  peculiar  veneration  j  and  reprefents 
him,  in  his  primitive  ftate,  as  far  fuperior  to  any 
of  his  degenerate  offspring,     «  Lo,  this  oniy  have 


276  SERMON       Xir. 

I  found,  that  Cod  liath  made  man  upright  i  but 
they  have  fought  out  many  inventions."  Thefe 
words  naturally  lead  us  to  afcertain  and  fupport 
the  primitive  chara6ler  of  Adam. 

Here  let  u^  firft  confider  what  v/e  are  to  under- 
ftand,  by  his  being  made  upright. 

The  tru2  import  of  this  term  appears  from  the 
coKineQion  in  which  it  is  ufed.  Solomon  is  not 
fpeaking  of  that  noble  afpeft  and  ere6l  pofture  of 
Adam,  by  which  he  excelled  the  lower  fpecies; 
but  of  that  moral  reflitude,  or  integrity  of  heart, 
by  which  he  excelled  all  his  own  poiterity.  For 
he  tells  us  in  the  text  and  context,  that  after 
taking  a  ferious  and  extenfive  view  of  mankind  in 
their  various  fituations  and  purfuits,  he  drew  up 
this  general  conclufion  in  his  own  mind,  that  the 
human  race  had  greatly  degenerated  from  the  mor- 
al purity  and  integrity  of  their  firft  Parent,  and 
employed  all  their  noble  powers  to  find  out  new 
and  different  ways  of  gratifying  their  extremely 
depraved  hearts.  The  infpired  Writers  common- 
ly ufe  the  term  upright,  to  fignify  that  quality  of 
the  heart,  which  forms  the  higheft  beauty  and  per- 
fe6ion  of  human  nature.  We  read,  "The  Levites 
were  more  upright  in  heart  than  the  Priefts."  Solo- 
mon, fpeaking  of  the  integrity  of  his  father  David, 
fiys,  '-he  walked  before  God  in  uprightnefs  0/ heart  " 
And  David  commonly  makes  ufe  of  this  phrafe, 
when  he  would  exprefs  his  own  integrity,  or  the 

integrity 


Sermon     xii. 


■77 


integrity  of  bthers.  '•  I  will  praife  thee  with  up- 
rightnefi  of  heart.  My  defence  is  of  God,  who 
faveth  the  upright  in  heart.  The  wicked  bend  their 
bow,  they  make  ready  their  arrows  upon  the  ftring; 
that  they  may  privily  fhoot  at  the  upright  in 
heart.  Be  glad  in  the  Lord,  and  rejoice  ye  right- 
eous:  and  ftiout  for  joy,  all  ye  that  are  upright  in 
heart.  O  continue  thy  loving  kindnefs  unto  them 
'that  know  thee ;  and  thy  righteoufnefs  to  the  up' 
right  in  heart.  The  righteous  fhall  be  glad  in  the 
Lord,  and  fliall  truft  in  him  :  and  all  the  upright  in 
heart  fliall  glory.  Judgment  Ihall  return  unto  right- 
eoufnefs :  and  all  the  upright  in  heart  fhall  follow 
it.  Light  is  fown  for  the  righteous;  and  gladnefs 
for  the  upright  in  heart.  Do  good,  O  Lord,  unto 
thofe  that  be  good^and  to  them  that  are  upright  in 
heart.''  It  appears  from  thefe  paffages  of  Scripture, 
that  uprightnefs  belongs  to  the  heart,  and  gives  a 
man  his  moral  cliaraQer.  And  this  leads  us  to  un- 
derftand  the  term  upright  m  the  text,  as  denoting 
moral  re6litude,  or  perfe61:  holinefs. 

The  way  is  now  prepared  to  fhow,  in  the  fecond 
place,  that  God  did  make  the  firft  man  upright^  in 
this  fenfe  of  the  word.  We  are  now  come  upon 
difputed  ground,  which  requires  us  to  proceed 
with  great  caution  and  perfpicuity.  And,  there- 
fore, it  may  be  proper  to  obferve, 

1.  That  God  might  haw  made  Adam  upright  in 

heart. 

This 


ayS  SERMON       XII. 

This  is  denied  by  many  men  of  great  learning 
and  ingenuity.     Tliey  fuppofe  it  was  beyond  the 
power  of  the  Deity,  to  tnake  man  morally  upright, 
or  create  him  in  righteoufnefs  and  true  holinefsi 
This  is  the  opinion  of  two  very  ingenious  and  ref- 
^etiable  authors,  who  have  expreffed  their  minds 
freely  upon  the  fubje6l.    Do6lor  Taylor  confident- 
ly aflTcrts,  "  That  it  is  utterly  inconfiftent  with  the 
nature  of  virtue,  that  it  fliould  be  concreated  with 
any  perfon  ;    becaufe,  if  fo,  it  muft  be  an  aft  of 
God's  abfolute  pov»?er,  without  our  knowledge  or 
concurrence ;    and  that    moral  virtue,  in  its  very 
nature,    implieth  the  choice  and   confent  of  the 
moral  agent,  without  which  it  cannot  be  virtue  and 
liolinefs  :    That  natjfary   holinefs  is  no  holincfs. 
To  fay  that  God  not  only  endovved  Adam  with  a 
capacity  of  being  righteous,  but  moreover  that 
righteoufnefs  and  true  holincfs  were  created  with 
him,  or  wrought  into  his  nature,  at  the  fame  time 
he  was  made,  is  to  affirm  a  contradiQion,  or  what 
is  inJ^oiiPiflent ,  with   the  nature  of  righteoufnefs." 
Doftor  Chauncey  agrees  very  nearly  with  Do6lor 
Taylor;    for  fpeaking  upon  this  fubjeft,  he  fays» 
with    his   ufual  elegance   and   accuracy,    ''  That 
man  was  made  male  and  female,  the  moft  excellent 
creature  i'l  tlw^  lower  world,  poffeffing  the  higheft 
ar.d  nobleft  rank  :  That  he  was  made  by  an  '•  im- 
mediate", exertion  of  almighty  power,  and  not  by 
Cod'vS  agency,  in  concurrence  with  fecond  caiifes, 

operating 


•^    E    R    M     O     N       Xir.  279 

operating  occording  to  an  eftablifhed  courfe  or 
order  ;  That  he  was  made  in  the  "  image  of  God ;" 
meanitig  hereby,  not  an  aBual,  prefent^  perjed  like- 
nefs  to  him,  either  in  knowledge,  wifdom,  holinefs, 
or  happinefs,  but  with  implanted  powers  per- 
feftly  adjufted  for  \ns gradually  attaining  to  this  like' 
nefs^'m  the  hig-heft  meafure  proper  to  a  being  of  his 
rank  in  the  creation."  Though  Do6lor  Chauncey 
does  not  exprefsly  deny,  as  Doftor  Taylor  does, 
the  poffibility  of  God's  making  man  upright,  yet 
his  mode  of  treating  the  fubje6l  plainly  implies  it. 
They  both  fuppofe,  that  virtue  or  true  holinefs 
muft  be  the  fole  work  of  man,  and  of  courfe  fup- 
pofe, that  it  is  impoffible,  in  the  nature  of  thingSf 
that  it  fhould  be  the  work  of  God.  This  is  the 
objeftion  againft  God's  creating  Adam  in  right- 
eoufnefs  and  true  holinefs,  fet  in  the  faireft  and 
ftrongeft  light.  Let  us  now  confider  what  there  is 
to  invalidate  thisobjeftion,  and  to  make  it  appear, 
that    God  7night  have  made  man  upright. 

And  here  I  may  obferve,  in  the  firft  place,  that 
it  is  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  virtue,  or  triae  holi- 
nefs to  be  created.  The  volitions  or  moral  exer- 
cifes  of  the  mind  are  virtuous  or  vicious,  in  their 
own  nature,  without  the  Icaft  regard  to  the  caufc,  by 
which  they  are  produced.  This  is  apparent,  up- 
on the  principles  of  thofe,  who  deny  xhe  poffibil- 
ity  of  cr€ated  holinefs.  Dofior  Taylor  pleads,  that 
holinefs  confifts  in  the  free,   volunjUiry  choice  of 

the 


aSo  SERMON       XIL 

the  agent.     This  is  undoubtedly  true,  and  agreea- 
ble to  the  didates  of  common  fenfe.     But  if  this 
be  trye,  the  excellency  of  virtue  or  holinel's  con- 
fifts  in  its  nature,  and  not  in  its  caufe.     For,  if  there 
cannot  be  a  volition  before  the  firil  volition  ;  then 
the  firft  volition  of  every  created  agent,  muft  have 
a  caufe  altogether  involumary.     This  muft  certainly 
have  been  the  cafe,   with  refpeft  to  Adam.     His 
Jirjl  volition  could  not  proceed  from  a  previous 
volition ;  and  therefore  his  firft  volition  proceed- 
ed from  fome  involuntary  caufe.      And  if  it  pro- 
ceeded from  an  involumary  caufe,  it  matters   not 
whether  that  caule  was  wiihin  or  without  himfelf. 
For,  if  it  were  altogether  involuntary^  there  could  be 
no  moral  goodnefs  in  rt*;  fince  it  is  granted  by  all, 
that   virtue  or  true   holmefs   confifts  in   the   free 
choice,  or  voluntary  exercife  of  the  agent.     So 
that  if  Adam  ever  began  to  be  holy,  his  firft  holi- 
nefs  confifted  in  his  Jirjl  benevolent  volition^  and  not 
zn  the  cavfe  of  that  firft  virtuous  and  voluntaj-y.ex- 
crcife.     But  if  his  firft  holinefs  confifted  \n  his  firft 
benevolent  volition  ;  then  it  might  have  been  creiat- 
ed  or  produced  by  the  Deity,  without  deftroying 
its  benevolent  and  virtuous  nature. 

I  may  further  obferve,  that  holinefs  is  fomethi-ng 
which  has  a  real  and  pofitive  exiftence,  and  which 
not  only  raay,  but  mujl  be  created.  The  free,  vol- 
untary exercifcs  of  the  mind  can  no  more  come 
into  exiftence  without  a  caufe.  than  any  other  ob- 

jeds 


SERMON       XII.  281 

jcfts  in  nature.  And  it  is  equally  certain  that  A- 
dam  could  not  be  the  efficient  caufe  of  his  own  vo- 
lition. He  was  a  dependent  creature.  He  lived 
and  moved,  and  had  his  being  in  God,  and  without 
him  he  couLd  do  nothing.  Such  a  dependent  crea- 
ture could  no  mpre  produce  his  own  volitions, 
than  his  own  exiflence.  A  felf-determining  power 
is  an  independent  power,  which  never  was,  and 
never  could  b.e  given  to  Adam.  And  if  he  never 
had  a  power  of  originating  his  own  volitions,  or 
making  himfelf  holy;  then  he  muft  have  forevet 
remained  witliout  holinefs,  unlefs  God  had  ^qqu.  fit 
to  make  him  holy,  or  morally  upright. 

And  this,  I  proceed  to  obferve,  he  might  have 
done.  He  has  the  power  of  produQion.  He  can 
create,  or  bring  out  of  nothing  into  exiftence  what- 
ever he  pleafes.  His  power  is  abfolutely  unlimit- 
ed and  irrefiftible.  As  he  can  create  a  body,  and 
create  a  foul,  which  are  lower  kinds  of  exiftence  ; 
fo  he  can  create  virtue  or  true  holinefs,  which  is 
the  higheft  and  nobleft  kind  of  exiftence.  But  we 
have  no  occalion  to  employ  fine  fpun  reafoning  to 
provc)  that  holinefs  comes  within  the  fphere  of  di- 
vine agency,  fince  the  Scriptures  clearly  decide 
this  point.  They  afcribe  the  production  of  holi- 
nefs to  God,  as  his  own  proper  and  peculiar  work. 
They  affure  us,  that  he  can  give  men  a  heart  to 
know  him ;  that  he  can  mike  them  willing  to  fub- 
mit  to  him ;  that  he  can  tah  away  tlKirJlony  hearts^ 
■:■■•■  Mm  -  '\.  2ir.d 


^2  SERMON       XlT. 

atr'd  give  them  hearts  of  flefi ;    that  he   can  creaic' 
diem  amio  in  Chrift  ]4\x\^' unt$  good  worh  ;    that  he 
can  zvsr^  in  them' both  to  tvill  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleafure;  or  in  a  word,  that  he  can  harden,  ot  foften^y 
or  turn  their  hearts,  jufl  as  he  pleafes.     There  is 
not  a  plainer  truth  in  the  Bible  than  this;  that  God" 
can  make  men  upright.     And  if  he  can  make  ob- 
fiinate  and   hardened   fijnncrs   upright  ;    who   can 
doubt  whether  he  was  able  to  make  the  firft  man, 
in   the  fir  ft  ftage  of  hi^  exrftence,  upright  ? 
'  AVe  may  now  advatice  another  ftep,  and  obferve, 
2.  That  God  not  only  might,  hul  viiijl  have  cre- 
ated y\dam  either /?o/)',  or  2<?i/2o^; 

Adam"  was  created  in  a  ftate  of  manhood.  His 
body  was  completely  organized,  and  every  way 
fitted  for  the  reception  of  the  foul.  At  the  inftant, 
therefore,  in  which  his  foul  was  united  with  his 
body,  he  became  a  perfeft  man,  or  moral  agent. 
There  was-  nothing  further  neceffary  in  order  to 
the  exercifc  of  Ins  moral  powersj  but  this  exhibition 
of  external  objeels.  Arid  the fe  were  exhibited  be*- 
fbrd  him,  as  fbon  as  he  opened  his  eyes  lipon  the 
vifible  world.  It  h  poITible,  though  not  probable, 
that  his  firff  views  were  fomewhat  obfcnre^  and 
confufed,  like  thofe  of  a  man  who  awakes  out  of  a 
found  ilcep.  But  as  foon,  and  perhaps  much  foofi- 
er,  than  awaking  nian  colle6ls  his  thoughts,  Adam 
colle61ed  his,  and  faw  and  felt  the  influence  of  fur- 
rounding  objeOsj  with  all  the  clearnefs  and  fenfi- 

bility 


IS  E    R    M    G    N     XII.  i2§3 

"^ility  that  he  ever  did  in  his  life.  The  power  of 
perception  fets  all  the  other  powers  of  his  mind 
into  motion.  So  that  there  could  be  no  difcerni- 
ble  diilance  of  time  between  his  feeing  obje£ls,  and 
feeling  moral  affeQ;ions  towards  them.  As  his  com- 
pletely organized  body  could  not  prevent  the  cx- 
ercife  of  his  moral  powers;  fo  there  was  nothing 
within,  nor  without  him,  that  could  prevent  his  im- 
mediately commencing  a  moral  agent,  and  exer- 
cifing  either  holy  or  unholy  afFetlions. 

To  fuppofe,  that  God  implanted  in  his  mind  the 
•principles  of  moral  agency,  without  making  him  a 
moral  agent,  is  extremely  abiurd.  For,  if  God 
gave  him  the  powers  of  perception,  reafon,  and 
confcience,  he  rauft  have  been  immediately  under 
.moral  obligatioTii  Vv^hich  he  muft  have  immediately 
cither  fulfilled,  or  violated,  and  ^o  have  immedi- 
ately become  either  holy,  or  finfal.-  'To  avoid 
-this  conclufion,  DoQior  Ciiauncey  fays,  "  thefe 
implanted  "^o-^Qv^  6x6.  not  afford  Adam  a.ny  prefent, 
adiual  knowledge,  wifdom,  holinefs,  or  happinefs." 
1  alk  then,  what  they  did  afford  him  ?  or  in  v/hat 
\^n{Q  they  were  the  powers  of  moral  agency,  when 
ihey  neither  enabled  him  to  pirceive  any  objctl, 
4o  hwxx)  any  truth,  to  eiijoy  any  good,  nor  to  do  any 
a8:ion  ?  Upon  this  fuppofidon,  Adam  was  as  iii- 
adive  and  torpid,  after  his  foul  was  united  to  his 
body,  as  before;  and  might  have  remained  in  that 
inaftive,  torpid  ftate  forever,  notwithflanding  hir> 

m^'hiikd 


284  SERMON       }^II. 

iviplanted  powers.     For,  if  aft^r  his  foul  and  body 
■were  united,  he  might  have  remained  deftitute  of 
fenfalion  and  perception,  one  moment;  he  might 
have  rerriained  fo,  one  hour,    one  day,  one  year, 
or  to  all   eternity.     If  any  perfon   can  tell  how 
Adam  begaji  to  perceive,  to  love  or  hate,  to  choofe 
or  refufe,  in  any  period  of  his  life  ;  he  can  as  eafi- 
ly  tell  how  Adam  began  to  perceive,   to  love  and 
iiate,  to  choofe  and  refufe,  thejirjl  moment^  in  which 
his  foul  ^vas  united  to  his  body.     If  ever  his  im- 
planted  powers  could  conftitute  him  a  moral  a- 
gent,  they  muft  have  made  him  a  moral  agent,  in 
that  very  inftant,  in  which  Gbd  breathed  into  his 
noftrils  the  breath  of  life,  and  he  became  a  living 
foul.     The  Apoftle  tells  us,  "To  him  that  know- 
eth  to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  fin." 
It  was  impoflible,  therefore,  that  God  fiiould  make 
the  foul  of  Adam  like  a  clean  piece  of  paper,  and 
prefsrve  it  To,  a  fingle  moment,  after  he  had  given 
him  the  power  o^ perception.     For,  as  foon  as  he 
perceived  any  objeft,  he  mud  have  had  forae  moral 
exercife  towards  it,  which  would  have  ftamped  his 
charaBcr  either  as  virtuous,  or  vicious.     Hence 
it  is  clearly  evident,  that  Adam  was  created  either 
finfiil,  or  holy;  and  fince   none  pretend^  that  he 
was  created  finful,  all  raufl;  allow,  that  he  was  made 
upright.,  agreeably  to  the  declaration  in  the  text. 
1  '^o  on  to  obfervc, 

3.  That  it  appears  from  the  account,  which  Mo^ 
fes  gives  of  the  creation  of  Adam,  that  God  made 

him 


.  B  R   M   O    N      XII.  285 

him  upright.     We  have  this  account  in  Genefis  i. 

26,27.  "And  God  faid,  Let  us  make  man  in 
our  image,  after  our  likenefs :  and  let  him  have  do- 
minion over  the  fifli  of  the  fea,  and  over  the  fowl 
of  the  air,  and  over  the  cattle,  and  over  al!  the 
earth,  and  over  every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth 
upon  the  earth.  So  God  created  man  in  his  orvn 
image,  in  the  image  of  God  created  he  him  :  male 
and  female  created  he  them."  Some  fuppofe,  this 
divine  image  confifled  in  the  exterior  glory  of  A- 
dam's  body,  which  refembled  the  exterior  glory 
of  the  great  Mediator,  before  he  appeared  in  the 
form  of  a  fervant,  and  tabernacled  in  flefli.  But, 
perhaps,  there  is  no  juft  foundation  for  this  opin- 
ion. 

Others  fappofe,  this  divine  image  confifled  in 
the  fuperior  intellectual  powers  of  Adam,  by  which 
he  excelled  all  the  inferior  creation,  and  refem- 
bled  the  natural  ^tvh&ion^  o^  his  Maker.  There 
is,  indeed,  fome  truth  in  this  fuppofition.  The 
human  underftanding  does  bear  fome  refemblance 
of  the  divine  intelligence.  And  in  this  refpeft, 
men  ftill  bear  the  natural  image  of  God's  imlural 
perfe6lions.  Hence  we  are  told  fince  the  flood, 
*'  Whofo  fheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  fhall  his 
blood  be  flied  :  for  in  the  image  of  God  made  he 

man." 
But  there  is  ftill  a  higher  fenfe,  in  which  man 

?night  have  borne  the  image  of  his  Maker;   and 

that 


J 


286  SERMON      3411. 

ihat  isj  in  refpeQ;  to  his  righteoufm/s,  or  true  holif 
nefs.  God  hath  a  mof a/ as  well  as .  wa/z^r^/  charac- 
ter i  or  he  hath  moral  as  well  as  imtural  perfections, 
Adam,lhereforc,  might  have  referabled  him  in  his 
moral  diS  well  as  his  natural  attributes.  Adam's  heart 
might  have  refembled  the  heart  of  the  Deity,  as 
much, as  his. mderjianding  refembled  the  divine  w«- 
derftanding.  And  fince  God  defigned  to  make 
man  refemble  himfelf,  it  is  mofi;  natural  to  fuppofe, 
that  he  would  make  him  refemble  himfelf,  in  the 
hjgheit  and  nobleft  point  of  refemblance,  that  is, 
in  his  hoiinefs  or  moral  excellence.  This  reafon- 
able  fuppofition  we  find  to  be  fcriptural.  For,  we 
are  affured,  that  God  did  make  Adam  a  man  after 
his  own  heart,  or  in  his  W(7r^^/ image,  by  the  Apoftl? 
Paul,  who  explains  the  image  of  God  in  man,  in 
this  noble  and  important  fenfe.  To  the  Ephefians 
he  fays,  "  Put  off  concerning  the  former  conver- 
fation,  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to 
ihe  deceitful  lufts;  And  be  renewed  in  the  fpirit 
of  your  mind ;  And  that  ye  piit  on  the  new  man^ 
•which  after  God  is  created  in  righteoufnefs  and  tnte  ho- 
iinefs." And  he  reprefents  the  Coloffians  as  a6lu- 
ally  bearing  this  moral  image  of  their  Maker.  "JSee- 
ing  that  ye  have  put  off  the  old  man  with  his 
deeds ;  and  have  put  on  the  neta  man,  which  is 
renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  him  that 
created  him.'"  It  appears  from  thefe  paffages,  that 
the  image  of  God  in  faints  confifts  in  moral  retli- 

tude. 


SERMON      xn.  ^8*7 

tude,  or  uprightnefs  of  heart.  If  we  allow  Scrip- 
ture to  explain  itfelf,  we  muff  conclude,  that  God 
ilfiade  Adam  holy  and  upright.  For  we  are  told 
l>y  one  infpired  Writer,  that  God  made  man  in 
his  own  image,  and  after  his  own  likenefs ;  and  by 
another,  that  the  image  and  likenefs  of  God  in 
men,  confifts  in  knowledge,  rightemifnefsy  and  true 
holinefs. 

We  may  obferve  once  more, 
4-4.  That  the  hiftory  of  Adam,  from  the  time  of 
&is  creation  to  the  time  of  his  eating  the  forbidden 
fruit,  affords  a  clear  and  convincing  evidence  of 
his  being  originally  formed  in  the  moral  image  of 
his  Maker.  We  are  told,  that,  after  God  formed 
man  the  laft  of  his  works,  «  he  faw  every  thing 
that  be  had  made,  and  behold,  it  was  very  giyoA^^ 
But  how  could  man,  who  was  a  moral  agent,  he 
very  good,  unlefs  his  heart,  or  moral  chara61:er,  was 
pure  and  holy  ?  Had  he  been  deftitute  of  virtue, 
or  true  holinefs,  he  muft  have  appeared  extreme- 
ly odiom  in  the  eyes  of  perfeft  purity.  We  are 
told,  that  God  bleffed  Adam  ;  that  he  gave  him  do- 
minion over  the  lifh  of  the  fea,  over  the  fowls  of 
the  ^ir,  and  over  every  living  creature ;  that  he 
gave  him  the  free  ufe  of  all  the  fruits  of  the  earth, 
and  of  all  the  trees  of  the  garden,  except  one; 
and  that  to  crown  all  his  other  earthly  bleffings, 
he  provided  a  help  meet  for  him,  who  was  bone 
of  his  bone,  and  ilelh  of  his  fleflij  the  companion 

of 


288  S     E     R     M     O     N      XH. 

of  his  life,  and  the  promoter  and  partner  of  all  his 
felicity.     While  God  bellowed  thefe  favors  upon 
him,  he  gave  an  implicit  approbation  of  his  moral 
eharafter.     Bcfides  all  thi^,  God  kept  up  a  friend- 
ly and  familiar  intercourfe  with  him.     He  appear- 
ed to  him  and  converfed  with  him,  from  time    to 
time,  with  great  freedom  and  condefcenfion.     He 
brought  all  the  animal   tribes  before  him,  and  al- 
lowed him  to  give  them  fuch  names  as  he  pleafed. 
He  pointed  out  to  him  his  daily  employment,  and 
direQcd  him  to  drefs  and  keep  the  garden  of  Eden. 
And  finally,  he  gave  him  one  plain,  eafy,  politive 
prohibition,  by  obferving  which,  he  might  confirm 
himfelf  in  holinefs,  and  fecure  the  perpetual  favor 
and  enjoyment  of  his  Maker.     How  long  this  in* 
tercourfe  between  God  and  Adam  was  kept  up, 
the  Scripture  does  not  inform  us.    Mr.  Worthing- 
ton   fuppofes,   however,  that  it  continued   feveral 
months.    But  divines  in  general  fuppofe,  it  was  of 
very  fliort  duration,   even   lefs   than  twenty-four 
hours.     This  they  conjedure  from  God's  appear- 
ing to  Adam  after  he  had  finned,  in  the  cool  of  the 
dciy  ■;  which  they  imagine  means,  the  evening  of  the 
day,  in  which  he  was  created.     But  the  various 
tranfaftions  which  took  place,  between  the  creation 
of  Adam  and  his  apoftafy   from  God,  feem  to  re- 
qiltre  a  longer  fpace  of  time ;    and  why  a  longer 
fpace   may  not  be  allowed,  it  is  not  eafy  to  fay. 
But  whether  that  term  were  longer  or  fliorter,  the 

hiltory 


SERMON     XII.  289 

hiftory  of  Adam  clearly  proves,  that  his  eating  the 
forbidden  fruit  was  his  Jirjl  fin.  And  if  that  were 
hisjirjl  fin,  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  he  was  per- 
fe6lly  holy  and  innocent,  until  he  had  eaten  of  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  According- 
ly his  hiftory  informs  us,  that  then,  and  not  till  then^ 
God  manifefted  his  difpleafure  towards  him;  de- 
nounced the  fentence  of  death,  curfed  the  ground 
for  his  fake,  drove  him  out  of  Paradife,  and  fub- 
je8:ed  him  to  all  the  pains  and  miferies  of  the  pref- 
ent  life.  This  confirms  all  the  preceding  obferva- 
tions,  and  fufficiently  proves,  that  God  made  man 
holy  or  morally  upright* 

I  fhall  now  clofc  the  fubjeO:,  with  a  few  remarks 
on  the  primitive  ftate  and  chara6ler  of  Adam. 

1,  He  Was  a  noble  and  excellent  creature,  as  he 
came  out  of  the  forming  hand  of  his  Maker. 

Some  entertain  very  low  and  unworthy  ideas  of 
our  firft  Parent  in  his  primitive  (late.  They  im- 
agine he  was  equally  deftitute  of  virtue  and  vice, 
and  equally  inclined  to  either.  And  though  they 
admit  he  might  gradually  acquire  fome  moral 
goodnefs ;  yet  they  fuppofe  his  primitive  virtue 
was  far  inferior  to  the  virtue  of  fome  of  the  an- 
tient  patriarchs,  and  too  weak  to  refill  fuch  ftrong 
temptatioBs,  as  their  virtue  often  refilled  and  over- 
came. As  they  fuppofe  it  required  no  great  abil- 
ities to  keep  and  drefs  the  garden  of  Eden,  and 
to  give  names  to  the  various  and  numerous  fpe- 
N  N  cics 


sgo 


SERMON       XIL 


eics  of  animals  >  fo  they  conceive  that  his  tntel- 
leftual  faculties  were  as  low  and  mean  as  the  feve- 
rai  kinds  of  bufinefs,  in  which  he  was  employed. 
Indeed,  they  fcruple  not  to  fay,  that  they  can  dif- 
Gover  no  fuperior  greatnefs  nor  goodnefs  in  the 
firft  man,  in  his  firft  and  Paradifiacal  ftate. 

But  we  ought  to  entertain  a  much  higher  and' 
better  opinion  of  our  great  Progenitor,  while  he 
retained  his  primitive  dignity  and  moral  reftiiude. 
He  was  made  the  natural  and  federal  htad  of  mil- 
lions of  imraartal  beings.  And  there  is  no  reafon 
to  doubt,  but  that  his  natural  abilities  and  moral 
qualities  were  equal  to  his  dignified  ftalion.  It  ap- 
pears from  what  has  been  faid,  in  this  difcourfcj 
that  his  affeflions  towards  his  Creator,  and  every 
inferior  object  were  perfeftly  right.  He  poffefled 
more  holine fs,  than  any  of  his  defcendants  ever 
poffefled,' in  this  imperfeB.  (late.  Yea,  he  was,  in 
this  refpeft,  but  a  little  lower  than  the  angels  of 
light.  And  the  hiftory  of  his  conduQ:  gives  us  an 
exalted  idea  of  his- intelle6lual  endowments.  His 
attainments  were  furprizingly  great  and  rapid. 
Who  ever  gained  fo  much  knowledge  as  he  did, 
in  fo  fbort  a  period  ?  Before  his  fall,  he  acquired 
the  knowledge  of  God,  of  himfelf,  of  all  the  animal 
fpecies,  and  of  a  new  and  unknown  language.  Have 
any  of  his  numerous  pofterity  been  able  to  learn 
fo  much,  in  a  few  days,  or  even  in  a  few  years  ? 
But  it  may  be  faid,  that  he  was  miraculoufly  affift- 

ed 


SERMON      XII.  sgt 

ed  in  his  intelle^lual  attainments.  Be  it  foj  yet 
his  mind  mull  have  been  very  capacious,  xery  Jlrong, 
and  very  penetrating,  to  take  in  fo  much  knowl- 
edge, and  to  apply  it  to  fuch  a  vaft  variety  of  cafes, 
in  fuch  a  fhort  period  of  time.  No  man,  fince  the 
fall,  has  ever  difplayed  fo  much  greatnefs  of  mind 
and  goodnefs  of  heart,  as  Adam  difplayed,  while  he 
refided  in  Paradife,  and  enjoyed  the  favor  of  his 
Maker.  And  if  we  only  confider  his  chara6:er 
and  condud  in  a  juft  and  candid  manner,  we  Ihall 
not  hefitate  to  pronounce  him,  in  his  primitive 
ftate,  the  greatell  and  bell  of  men. 

2.  How  happy  was  Adam  in  his  original  ftate  of 
moral  re6litude  and  perfeH  innocence  ! 

His  body  was  full  of  vigor,  and  free  from  pain. 
His  mind  was  full  of  light,  and  free  from  error. 
His  heart  was  full  of  holin^fs,  and  free  from  moral 
impurity.  His  eyes  and  ears  were  feailed  with  a 
vaft  profufion  of  new,  beautiful,  grand,  and  de- 
iighful  obje6ls.  His  inheritance  was  rich  and 
large,  comprehending  the  world  and  the  fulnefs 
thereof.  He  fenfibly  enjoyed  the  love  and  appro- 
bation of  his  Creator.  Pie  was  permitted  a  free 
and  unreftrained  accefs  to  the  fountain  of  holinefs 
and  happinefs.  God  prefented  him  with  the  de- 
lightful profpecl  of  a  numerous  and  happy  pof- 
terity.  Heaven  and  earth  appeared  unitedly  en- 
gaged, to  raife  him  as  high  in  knowledge,  holinefs, 
and  felicity,  as  his  nature  v/ould  admit  him  to  rife. 

There 


2^2  SERMON      XIL 

There  was  nothing  within  nor  without  to  inter- 
rupt his  enjoyments,  nor  to  draw  a  cloud  over 
his  bright  and  extenfive  profpefts.  His  habita- 
tion was  Paradife,  and  his  heart  was  Heaven. 

3.  While  Adam  was  placed  in  fuch  a  perfeflly 
holy  and  happy  fituation,  it  is  extremely  difficult 
to  conceive,  how  he  fhould  be  led  into  fin,  with- 
out the    immediate    interpofiiion  of  the    Deity. 
His  perfeQ;  holinefs  would  naturally   lead  him  to 
repel,  with  abhorrence,  every  temptation  to  difo- 
bey  and  difhonor  the  Being,  whom  he  fupremely 
loved.     Our  Saviour's  fupreme  afFeftion   to  his 
father  prompted  him  to  refill  the  Devil,  and  baf- 
fle every  temptation  to  fin,  which  his  malice  and 
jfubtilty  could  fuggeft.     And  though   the  Tempter 
purfued  him  with  his  affaults  forty  days;  yet  he 
could  find  nothing  in  the  perfe6lly  holy  heart  of 
Chrift,  for  any  temptation  to  take  hold  of.     So 
there  was  nothing  in  the   perfe6lly   holy   heart  of 
Adam,  that  could  give  Satan  the  leaft  advantage 
againft  him.     His  perfeft  holinefs,  as  long  as  it 
continued,  was  a  perfeft  fecurity  againft  any  tempt- 
ation, which   any    created  being   could    fuggeft. 
The  firft  Adam  was  as  totally  difpofed  to  refift  the 
Devil  in  Paradife,  as  the  fecond  Adam   was  to  re- 
fift him  in  the  wildernefs.     They  were  both  per- 
fectly holy,  and  being  perfe6i;ly  holy,  they  both 
ftood  fuperior  to  all  external  temptations.    It  is  in 
vain  to  attempt  to  account  for  the  firft  fin  of  the 

firlt 


SERMON    XII.  293 

firft  man,  by  the  inftrumentality  of  fecond  caufes. 
And  until  we  are  willing  to  admit  the  interpofition 
of  the  fupreme  firft  Caufe,  we  muft  be  content  to 
confider  the  fall  of  Adam,  as  an  unfathomable  myf- 
tery. 

4.  The  fall  of  Adam  was,  in  its  own  nature,  a 
moft  melancholy  event.  By  his  firft  tranfgrellion 
he  forfeited  all  good,  and  expofed  himfelf  to  all  e- 
vil.  The  moment  he  finned,  he  found  himfelf 
completely  ruined.  His  fituation  was  extremely 
diftreffing.  How  could  he  look  back,  and  recal 
his  paft  hours  of  peace  and  fweet  enjoyment?  Or 
how  could  he  look  forward,  and  anticipate  the 
fcenes  of  endlefs  darknefs  and  dcfpair  ?  If  Efau 
could  not  endure  the  lofs  of  his  birth  right,  how 
could  Adam  endure  the  lofs  of  a  temporal  and  e- 
ternal  Paradife  ?  This  deep  fenfe  of  mifery,  was 
attended  with  a  deeper  fenfe  of  guilt.  He  knew 
that  he  had  deftroyed  himfelf,  by  his  own  volunta- 
ry difobedience.  His  confcience  reproached  and 
condemned  him,  for  injuring  the  greateft  and  beft 
of  Beings.  Guilt  and  fear  tormented  his  breaft  ; 
Shame  and  confufion  covered  his  face.  He  dread- 
ed the  appearance  and  frowns  of  Himj  whofe  pref- 
ence  and  fmiles  he  once  enjoyed.  He  attempted 
to  hide  his  guilty  head  from  the  face  of  his  Maker ; 
but  neither  trees,  nor  rocks,  nor  mountains  could 
fcreen  him  from  the  eye  and  hand  of  his  Judge. 
That  awful  and  fovereign  voice  which  cried,  Adam  ! 

■'  where 


294 


SERMON      XII. 


where  art  thou  ?  brought  him  trembling  and  defpair- 
ang  before  the  fuprerne  tribunal,  where  he  exped- 
-ed  to  receive  the  due  reward  of  his  deeds.  Such 
a  fcene  mull  have  been  extremely  folemn.  Our 
fallen  Father  muft  "have  viewed  himfelf,  and  muft 
have  been  viewed  by  all  created  beings,  as  irre- 
coverably lofl.  There  was  not  the  leaft  gleam  of 
hope  in  hij  cafe^     Hence, 

5.  It  was  an  a^  of  adonifhing  grace  in  God  to 
provide  a  Saviour  for  fallen  man.  He  had  deferv- 
ed  and  expetlcd  to  die.  God  might  have  juftly 
treated  him,  as  he  had  treated  fallen  angels,  and 
doomed  him  to  a  ftate  of  endlefs  ruin.  But  inftead 
of  giving  him  up  into  the  hands  of  his  tempter 
and  deftroyer,  he  gracioufly  affured  him,  that  "  the 
feed  of  the  woman  fhould  bruife  the  ferpent's 
head."  This  was  the  greateft  and  moft  unexped- 
cd  difplay  of  divine  grace,  that  God  ever  made 
to  any  of  his  creatures.  And  though  the  fitua- 
tion  of  Adam  prepared  him  to  have  a  high  fenfe 
of  the  grace  of  God,  in  providing  a  Saviour  for 
himfelf;  yet  he  had  but  a  faint  and  low  concep- 
tion of  the  richnefs  and  fulnefs  of  the  firft  promife, 
as  it  refpefted  his  numerous  pofterity.  The  pro- 
mife of  a  divine  redeemer  contained  good  enough, 
to  counterbalance  all  the  natural  and  moral  evils 
of  the  fall,  and  in  that  way,  to  defeat  and  difcon- 
cert  all  the  malignant  defigns  of  Satan.  God  in- 
tendqrfJ,  by  faving  men,  through  the  mediation  of 

Chrift, 


E  R  M   O    N      Xn.  295 

Chrift,  to  make  the  univerfe  more  holy  and  happy, 
than  if  Satan  had  never  introdueed  either  natural 
or  moral  evil  into  it.  And,  therefore,  though  fin 
and  mifery  have  abounded,  through  the  fall  of 
man  ;  yet  holinefs  and  happinefs  fhall  much  more 
abound,  through  his  reeovery,  by  Jefus  Chrift. 

6.  Thofe  who  have  recovered  the  moral  image 
and  favor  of  their  Maker,  which  Adam  forfeited 
and  loft,  are  in  a  much  more  fafe  and  happy  fitua- 
tion  than  he  was,  even  before  the  fall.  Adam  held 
all  his  holinefs  and  happinefs,  by  an  uncertain  ten- 
ure ;  but  faints  have  built  their  hopes  upon  better 
promifes,  Adam  was  to  be  completely  holy  and 
happy,  on  the  condition  of  perfevering  obedience; 
but  faints  are  fecured  in  holinefs  and  happinefs 
forever,  upon  the  firft  holy  and  virtuous  exercife, 
Adam  had  no  promife  of  perfevering  grace ;  but 
faints  have  the  promife  of  divine  aid  and  influence, 
to  carry  them  through  all  the  duties  and  dangers 
of  their  probationary  ftate.  Adam  had  the  hope- 
ful profpeft  of  perpetually  enjoying  the  bleflings  of 
divine  goodnefs  ;  but  faints  have  affurance  of  per- 
petually enjoying  the  bleflings  of  divine  grace*  A- 
dam  might  expe6t  to  be  but  a  little  lower  than  the 
angels  in  divine  enjoyments ;  but  faints  may  hope 
to  rife  above  thofe  exalted  fpirits,  in  pure  and  per- 
manent felicity,  and  to  fing  a  new  fong,  which  none 
but  the  redeemed  from  among  men  will  ever  be 
able  to  learn, 

7.  Since 


396  SERMON       XlL 

■  J.  Since  the  primitive  glory  and  felicity  of  A- 
dam  refulted  from  his  bearing  the  image  and  en- 
joying the  favor  of  God,  it  is  certain  that  none  of 
his  pofterity  can  rife  to  true  greatnefs  and  real 
happtnefs,  until  they  put  off  the  old  man,  and  put 
on  the  new.  The  ittoft  fhining  talents^  the  moft  rich 
inheritance,  and  the  moft  amiable  accomplifli- 
ments,  can  never  fupply  the  want  of  the  divine 
image  and  favor,  in  any  of  the  children  of  men. 
The  finner,  with  all  his  boafted  attainments,  ap- 
pears to  the  eye  of  God  a  mean,  vile,  contempti- 
ble being.  Every  fon  of  Adam  muft  be  conform- 
ed to  the  moral  image  of  his  Maker,  in  order  to 
be  a  truly  refpeftable  and  happy  man.  This  fub- 
je6l,  therefore,  calls  upon  all  finners,  without  dif- 
tin£lion,  to  be  holy  as  God  is  holy,  and  perfeQ  as 
their  Father  in  heaven  is  perfe6l,  in  order  to  at- 
tain the  higheft  dignity  of  their  nature,  and  the 
chief  end  of  their  being.  Remember  this,  O  yc 
tranfgreffors,  and  fliew  yourfelves  men. 


SERMON 


SERMON     XIII. 

On  Original  Sin. 

Romans  v.   19, 
By  one  mnns  dijohedknce  many  were  made  Jinncrs, 

X  HE  Apoftle  undertakes,  in  this  Epiftlcj 
to  lay  open  the  gofpel  fcheme  of  falvation.  In 
the  profecution  of  this  purpofe,  he  proves,  that 
both  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  all  under  fin,  and  juft- 
ly  expofed  to  fiiffer  the  curfe  of  the  divine  law. 
He  next  brings  into  view  the  atonement  of  Chrift, 
as  the  only  foundation  of  pardon  and  acceptance 
with  God.  This  leads  him  to  ftate  the  do6lrineof 
juftification,  through  faith  in  the  divine  Mediator. 
But  left  fome  fhould  ftumble  at  the  idea  of  the  fin- 
ner*s  being  faved,  on  account  of  his  fubftitute  ; 
he  proceeds,  in  this  chapter,  to  illuftrate  the  mat- 
ter by  a  fimilar  and  well  known  inftance.  He  fays, 
"  By  one  man  fin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death 
by  fin ;  and  fo  death  pafled  upon  all  men,  for  that 
O  o  ail 


298  SERMON       XlII. 

all  have  finned."  He  takes  it  for  granted,  that  the 
chriftians  to  whom  he  is  writing  believed,  that  A- 
dam  ftood  as  the  public  head  of  his  pofterity,  and 
fo  by  his  firft  offence  expofed  them  to  both  fin  and 
death.  And  this  being  taken  for  granted,  he  goes 
on  to  illuftrate  thzfaving  influence  of  Chrift's  me- 
diatorial  conduB,  by  the  de/lniHive  influence  of  A- 
dara's  probationary  condu6l.  "  For  as  by  one  man's 
difobedience  many  were  made  finners,  fo  by  the 
obedience  of  one  fliall  many  be  made  righteous." 
The  text,  taken  either  in  this  connexion,  or  as  an 
independent  fentence,  naturally  leads  us  to  con-, 
fider  the  fatal  influence  of  Adam's  firft  offence,  up- 
on all  his  natural  pofterity.  This  is  an  important 
fubje6l;  and  in  order  to  place  it  in  as  clear  a  light 
as  I  am  able,  I  fliall, 

I.     Show,  that  all  men  are  finn-ers. 

li.     Show,  that  Adam  made  them  finners. 

III.  Show,  how  Adam  made  them  finners, 

IV.  Show,  why  God  ordered  it  fo,  that  Adam 
fhould  make  them  finners. 

I.  I  am  to  {how,  that  all  men  are  finners. 

This  melancholy  truth  has  been  univerfally  ac- 
knowledged. All  nations  have  perceived  and  la- 
mented the  moral  corruption  of  human  nature. 
The  antient  Poets,  who  have  painted  the  moral 
characters  of  men,  and  the  antient  Hiftorians,  who 
have  recorded  their  moral  conduH^  unite  in  exhibit- 
ing plain  and  inconteftible  evidence  of  human  de- 
pravity. 


SERMON       XIII.  299 

pravity.  We  cannot  find,  in  all  antiquity,  one 
Jinkfs  nation,  nor  outfinlefs  perfon.  Human  na- 
ture has  been  the  fame,  wherever  planted  and 
however  cultivated,  in  every  aga  and  in  every 
part  of  the  world.  Though  mankind  have  fpread 
far  and  wide  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  lived 
under  the  influence  of  different  climates,  of  differ- 
ent laws,  and  of  different  religions ;  yet  they  have 
univerfally  difcovered  the  fame  corruption  of  heart. 
The  truth  of  this  account  is  fully  confirmed,  by 
the  exprefs  declarations  of  Scripture.  We  read, 
«  God  faw  that  the  wickednefs  of  man  was  great 
in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the 
thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually." 
We  read,  "There  is  not  a  juft  man  upon  earth 
that  doeth  good,  and  finneth  not."  Job  demands, 
"  What  is  man,  that  he  fliouM  be  clean  ?  and  he 
which  is  born  of  a  woman,  that  he  fliould  be  right- 
eous?" David' confeffes  before  God,  "  Behold^ 
I  was  fliapen  m  iniquity;  and  in  fin  did  ray  moth- 
er conceive  me."  And  under  this  impreffion  he 
prays.  «  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  fervant : 
for  in  thy  fight  fhall  no  flefii  be  juftified."  Solo- 
mon puts  the  queftion  to  every  child  of  Adam, 
«  Who  can  fay,  I  have  made  ray  heart  clean,  I 
am  pure  from  my  fin  ?"  And  after  a  critical  and 
extenfive  view  of  mankind,  he  obferves,  «  Lo,  this 
only  have  I  found,  that  God  hath  made  man  up- 
right;   but   they  have  fought  many  inventions." 

The 


300 


SERMON     Xlir, 


The  Apoflle  Paul  is  ftiil  more  plain  and  particu- 
lar upon  this  point.  "What  then"  fays  he,  "are 
"we  better  than  they  ?  No,  in  no  wife  :  for  we  have, 
before  proved  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they 
are  all  under  fin;  as  it  is  written,  There  i&  none 
righteous,  no  not  om^-  There  is  none  that  under- 
ilandeth,-  there  is  none  that  feeketh  after  God, 
they  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  together 
become  unprofitable  :  there  is  none  that  doeth  good, 
no,  not  one.  Their  throat  is  an  open  fepulchre  ; 
with  their  tongues  they  have  ufed  deceit;  the  poi- 
fon  of  afps  is  under  their  lips :  whofe  mouth  is 
full  of  curfing  and  bittcrnefs.  Their  feet  are 
fwift  to  fhed  blood.  DeftruQion  and  mifery  are 
in  their  way.  And  the  way  of  peace  have  they 
not  known  :  there  is  no  fear  of  God  befojre  their 
eyes."  Thefe  divine  declarations,  in  concurrence 
with  univerfal  obfervation  and  experience,  clearly 
demonRrate,  that  all  men,  without  a  fingle  excep- 
tion, are  finneis.     The, next  thing  is, 

II.  To  fiiow  that  we  became  finners,  by  Adam. 
The  moral  corruption  of  human  nature  is  of  great 
antiquity.  The  oldeft  heathfen  Writers  could  not, 
by  the  light  of  nature,  nor  tradition,  trace  it  back 
to  its  original  fource.  They  generally  fuppofed, 
h^owever,  that  man  ha(i  actually  degenerated  from 
his. primitive  purity.  They  v;ere  loth  to  believe, 
that  he  came  out  of  the  forming  hand  of  his  Mak- 
erj  with  a.  corrupt  heart.     But  we  have  no  occa- 

fion 


SERMON       XIII.  301 

fion  for  conjeQures  on  this  fubjeft.  The  Scrip- 
ture  acquaints  us  with  the  original  reftitude,  and 
firft  apoftafy,  of  the  human  race.  The  Apoftle 
afcribes  the  univerfal  finfuhiefs  and  mortality  of 
mankind  to  the  firft  offence  of  the  firft  man,  Adam. 
«'  Wherefore,  as  by  one  man  fin  entered  into  the 
world,  and  death  by  fin ;  and  fo  death  paffed  up- 
on all  men,  for  that  all  have  finned.  For  until 
the  law  fin  was  in  the  world  :  but  fin  is  not  imput- 
ed where  there  is  no  law.  Nevertheiefs,  death 
reigned  from  Adam  to  Mofes,  even  over  them  that 
had  not  finned  after  the  fimilitude  of  Adam's  tranf- 
greffion.  Therefore,  by  the  offence  of  one  judg- 
ment came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation;  for 
by  one  man's  difobedience  many  were  made  fin^ 
ners."  The  one  offence  of  Adam,  which  the 
Apoftle  here  fo  often  mentions,  and  which  he  re- 
prefents  as  fo  fatal  to  mankind,  v/as  the  offence 
of  his  eating  the  forbidden  fruit ;  of  which  we  have 
a  particular  account  in  the  third  chapter  of  Gene- 
fis.  And  he  exprefsly  declares,  that  that  fingle 
afl:  of  our  firft  Parent,  introduced  fin  and  death 
among  all  his  natural  defcendants,  from  generation 
to  generation.     I  proceed, 

III.  To  fhow  how  we  became  finncrs  by  Adam. 
The  text  fays,  that  "  by  one  man's  difobedience 
many  were  made  finners."  This  plainly  implies, 
that  Adam's  firft  offence  was,"  fome  way  or  other, 
the  Qccafion  of  the  univerfal  finfulnefs  of  his  fu^ 

turc 


A02 


SERMON      Xni, 


tuie  offspring.  And  the  queftion  now  before  us 
is,  how  his  fin  was  the  oCcafion  of  ours.  This  is 
the  moft  difficult  branch  of  our  fubjefl:^  and  in 
order  to  proceed  upon  plain  and  fure  ground,  I 
would  obferve, 

1.  That  Adara  did  not  make  us  finners,  by  cauf- 
ing  us  to  commit  his  firft  offence.  His  firft  of- 
fence, we  know,  was  his  eating  of  the  tree  of  the 
knowledge  cf  good  and  evil.  And  fince  he  com- 
mitted that  tranfgreffion  before  we  were  born,  it 
is  a  plain  dictate  of  common  fenfe,  that  we  had  no ' 
concern  in  it.  We  could  no  more  eat  of  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  before  we  were  born,  than  Adam 
could  have  eaten  of  it,  before  he  was  created.  And 
though  we  have  been  guilty  of  many  and  great  of- 
fences; yet  we  are  all  confcious,  that  we  never 
finned  with  our  firft  Parent,  in  his  firft  tranfgref- 
fion. Neither  our  reafon  nor  experience,  there- 
fore, will  allow  us  to  believe,  that  Adam  made 
men  finners,  by  caufing  them  to  eat  of  the  forbid- 
den fruit,  which  they  never  faw,  in  a  place  where 
they  never  were,  and  at  a  time  before  they  exifted. 

Nor  can  we  more  eafily  believe, 

2.  That  he  made  his  pofterity  finners,  by  iranf' 
Jferring  to  them  the  giiili  of  his  firft  tranfgreflfion. 

Guilt  is  a  perfonal  thing,  which  belongs  to  him  a- 
lone,  who  does  a  finful  a6lion.  The  guilt  of  any 
aflion  can  no  more  be  transferred  from  the  agent  to 
another  perfon,  than  the  aftion  itfelf.     It  has  juft 

been 


SERMON       XIII.  303 

been  obferved,  that  Adam  could  not  transfer  his 
firft  ad  of  drfobedience  to  his  pofterity ;  and  if  he 
could  not  transfer  the  a6l  itfelf,  it  is  equally  evi- 
dent, that  he  could  not  transfer  the  gzdlt  of  it.  As 
he  could  not  have  made  himfelf  guilty  of  eating 
the  forbidded  fruit,  without  his  choojing  to  eat  of  it ; 
fo  he  could  not  make  his  pofterity  guilty  of  eating 
of  the  forbidden  fruit,  without  their  choojing  to  do 
the  fame  aftion.  But  we  know,  that  he  never  made 
them  choofe  to  commit  his  firft  fin ;  and,  therefore, 
be  could  not  bring  them  under  the  guilt  of  his 
firft  tranfgreffion.  It  was  as  much  out  of  the  pow- 
er of  Adam,  to  transfer  his  own  perfonal  guilt  ta 
his  pofterity,  as  it  is  now  out  of  the  power  of  any 
other  parent,  to  transfer  his  own  perfonal  guilt  to 
his  children.  So  far  we  all  have  clear  and  diftind 
ideas  upon  this  fubjed. 

But  here  fome  may  fay,  Though  Adam  himfelf 
could  not  tranfer .  the  guilt  of  his  firft  offence  to 
his  pofterity ;;  yet  Gods  "^^^  is  a  Sovereign,  might 
transfer  the  guilt  of  that  fin  to  all  his  defcendants. 
It  is  true,  indeed,  that  God  is  a  Sovereign,  and 
hath  a  right  to  a6l  as  a  Sovereign,  in.  governing  all 
his  creatures  and  all  their  a6tions.  But  may  we 
fuppofe,  that  his  Sovereignty  allows  him  to  do  in- 
juftice,  or  treat  any  moral  agents  contrary  to  the 
eternal  rule  of  right?  It  was  unjuft,  in  the  na- 
ture of  things,  that  the  Supreme  Being  fhould  tranf- 
fcr  the  guilt  of  Adam's  fin  t6  his  pofterity.     And 


go4  SERMON    XIII. 

tio  conftitution  which  he  could  make  could  rendei* 
fuch  a  mode  of  condu6l  confident  with  his  moral 
refctitude.  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do 
right  ?  Shall  he,  therefore,  transfer  the  guilt  of 
the  father  to  the  fon  ?  or  fhall  he  punifh  the  foa 
for  the  father's  fin?  No,  the  foul  that  finnethj 
it  Ihall  die  for  its  own  iniquity.  God  has  a  fove- 
reign  right,  to  transfer  a  favor  from  one  perfon  to 
another  ;  but  it  is  beyond  the  province  of  his 
Sovereignty,  to  transfer  the  guilt  of  an  aftion  from 
the  proper  agent,  to  an  innocent  perfon*  His 
Sovereignty  is  limited  by  his  Juftice,  in  his  treat- 
ment of  moral  and  accountable  creatures.  Hence 
•we  may  fafely  conclude,  that  the  guilt  of  Adam's 
firft  fin  was  never  transferred  from  him  to  his  pof- 
terity,  by  the  authority,  or  appointment  of  God. 

Some,  however,  may  flill  further  afli.  Does  not 

the  Scripture  fpeak  of  Imputation  ?  and  does  not 

imputation  fuppofe,  that  God  may,  and  does,  tranf- 

Jtr  both  righteoufnefs  and  unrighteoufnefs,  from 

one  perfon  to  another  ? 

Though  the  Scripture  fpeaks  of  good  and  bad 
aBions  being  imputed,  yet  it  never  fpeaks  of  their 
being  transferred.  This  will  appear,  if  we  confider 
the  Scripture  account  of  imputation.  According 
to  Scripture,  a  man's  own  aBions  are  imputed  to 
himfelf,  when  he  receives  the  due  reward  of  his 
deeds.  "  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  count- 
ed, or  imputed,  to  him  for  righteoufnefs."    That  is, 

he 


^»E   R   M   O    N      XIII.  305 

he  was  rewarded  for  his  own  virtue,  or  received 
the  benefit  of  his  own  goodnefs.  Shimei,  who  had 
deferved  to  die  for  curfing  David,  came  to  him 
and  faid,  "  Let  not  my  lord  iwpiite  iniquity  unto 
me."  That  is,  let  me  not  fufFer  the  juft  confe- 
quence  of  my  own  perfonal  criminality.  Thus 
men's  oWn  aftions  are  imputed  to  themfelves^  when 
they  receive  the  good  or  evil,  which  their  aftions 
deferve.  And  according  to  Scripture,  the  adions 
of  one  man  are  imputed  to  another,  when  one  man 
receives  benefit,  or  fufFers  evil,  on  account  of  an- 
other's conduQ:.  David  imputed  the  virtue  of 
Jonathan  to  his  fon,  when  he  fhewed  kindnefs  to 
the  fon,  for  the  father's  fake.  And  God  imputed 
the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  when 
he  made  the  children  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abi- 
ram  fuflPer,  in  confequence  of  their  father's  rebel- 
lion. But  it  is  here  to  be  obferved,  that  in  thefe 
inftances  of  imputation^  there  is  no  transferring  of 
righteoufnefs  or  unrighteoufnefs,  from  one  perfon 
to  another.  The  virtue  of  Jonathan  was  not  tranf- 
Jerred  to  Mephibofheth ;  nor  the  guilt  of  Korah  to 
his  children.  But  the  virtue  of  Jonathan  rendered 
it  proper  for  David  to  fhew  kindnefs  to  Mephibo- 
flieth  ;  and  the  guilt  of  Korah  rendered  it  proper 
for  God  to  fhew  his  difpleafure  at  him,  by  punifh- 
ing  his  children,  according  to  their  own  defert.  This 
is  the  true  and  proper  idea  of  imputation*  And  in 
this  fenfe  of  the  word,  it  is  granted,  that  God  does 
P  p  impute 


3o6  SERMON       XIII. 

impute  the  firft  fin  of  Adam  to  liis  pofterity.  Ac- 
cordingly we  read  in  the  context.  "  By  the  of- 
fence  of  one  judgment  came  upon  a?l  men  to  con- 
demnation." 'E>ut  though  both  fin  and  death  come 
upon  us,  in  confequence  of  Adam's'  firf!  fin  ;  yet 
that  fin  is  not  tramferred  to  us,  nor  are  we  puniJJicd 
for  it.  The  doftrine  of  imputation,  therefore^ 
gives  lis  no  ground  to  fuppofe,  that  all  mankind 
finned  in  and  fell  with  Adam,  in  his  firft  tranfgref- 
fion  ;  or  that  the  guilt  of  his  firfl;  fin  was,  either  by 
him,  or  by  the  Deity,  transferred  to  his  pofterity. 
Nor  can  we  fuppofe, 

3.  That  Adam  made  men  finners,  by  conveying 
to  them  a  morally  corrupt  n-atiire.  Moral  corrup- 
tion is  efientially  difFerent  from  natural  corrup- 
tion. The  latter  belongs  to  the  body,  but  the 
former  belongs  to  the  rriihd.  Adam  undoubtedly 
conveyed  to  his  pofterity  a  corrupt  body,  or  a  bo- 
dy fubjetlto  wounds,  bruifes,  and  putrifying  fores. 
But  fuch  a  body  could  not  corrupt  the  mind,  or 
render  it  morally  depraved.  There  is  no  morally  cor- 
rupt nature,  diftinft  from  free,  voluntary,  finful 
cxercifes.  Adam  had  no  fuch  nature,  and  there- 
fore could  convey  no  fitch  nature  to  his  pofterity. 
Bat  even  fuppofing,  that  he  really  had  a  morally 
qorrupt  nature,  diftinft  from  his  free,  voluntary, 
finful  cxercifes;  it  muft  have  belonged  to  his  foul, 
and  not  to  his  body.  And  if  it  belonged  to  his 
foul,  he  could  not  convey  it  to  his  pofterity,  who 

derive 


SERMON      XIII,  307 

derive  tlieir  fouls  immediately  from  the  fountain 
of  Being.  God  is  the  father  of  our  fpirits.  The 
foul  is  not  tranfmitted  from  father  to  fon,  by  nait, 
ural  generation.  The  foulis  fpiritual;  and  what 
is  fpi ritual  is  indivifible  ;  and  what  is  indivifibleis 
incapable  of  propagation.  Adam  could  noi  con- 
vey any  part  of  his  foul  to  his  next  immediate  ofF- 
fpring,  without  conveying  the  whole.  It  is,  there- 
fore, as  contrary  to  philofophy  as  to  Scripture,  to 
fuppofe,  that  Adam's  poflerity  derive  their  fouls 
from  him.  And  if  they  did  not  derive  the-ir  fouls 
from  him,  they  could  not  derive  from  him  a  mor- 
ally corrupt  nature,  if  he  really  poffefTed  fuch  a 
nature  himfelf, 

Befides,  the  Scripture  puts  this  matter  out  of 
doubt.  For  the  Apoftle  repeatedly  obferves,  it 
was  by  one  offence  of  Adam,  that  his  polterity  be- 
came finners.  He  calls  it  the  offence  ;  07ze  man's 
pffence;  the  offence  of  one  ;  one  man's  difobedience. 
It  was  Adam's  firft  offence  of  eating  the  forbidden 
fruit,  that  rtiined  his  pofterity.  But  how  could  that 
firft  offence  convey  a  morally  corrupt  nature  to 
thofe  who  did  not  exift,  when  it  was  aflualiy  com- 
mitted ?  If  Adam's  firft  aB  of  difobedience  did 
not  convey  a  corrupt  nature  to  his  pofterity,  at  the 
very  moment  when  it  was  committed,  it  never 
could  convey  fuch  a  nature  to  them  afterwards. 
And  no  one  ever  fuppofed,  that  his  firft  tranTgref- 

fion 


3o8  SERMON       XIII. 

Jion  immediately  affeEled  and  polluted  his  pofterity,  who 
had  then  no  exiftence.  It  is  utterly  inconceiva- 
ble, therefore,  that  Adam  fliould  tranfmit  a  corrupt 
nature  to  his  future  offspring,  by  Yiis  Jirjl  aH  of  dif- 
obcdience. 

But  if  Adam  conveyed  neither  fin,  nor  guilt,  nor 
moral  depravity  to  his  defcendants,  by  his  firft 
tanfgrefTion,  how  then  did  that  a£l  of  difobedience 
make  them  fmners  ? 

The  only  proper  and  direB;  anfwer  to  this  queft- 
ion  is,  that  God  placed  Adam  as  the  public  Head 
of  his  pofterity,  and  determined  to  treat  them  ac- 
cording to  his  condu6t.  If  he  perfevered  in  holi- 
nefs  and  obedience,  God  determined  to  bring  his 
pofterity  into  exiftence  holy  and  upright.  But  if 
he  finned  and  fell,  God  determined  to  bring  his 
pofterity  into  exiftence  morally  corrupt  or  deprav- 
ed. Adam  difobeyed  the  law  of  his  Maker ;  and 
according  to  the  conftitution  under  which  he  was 
placed,  his  firft  and  fingle  a£l  of  difobedience  made 
all  his  pofterity  finners ;  that  is,  it  proved  the  oc- 
cafion  of  their  coming  into  the  world  unholy  and 
finful.  By  conftituting  Adam  the  public  Head  of 
his  pofterity,  God  fufpended  their  holinefs  and  fin- 
fulnefs  upon  his  conduft.  So  that/i?s  holinefs  would 
conftitutionally  render  them  holy ;  and  his  finful- 
nefs  would  conftitutionally  render  fheni  unholy  or 
depraved.  And  this  is  the  very  idea,  which  our 
text  originally  and  clearly  conveys,     "  By  one 

man's 


S^E    R    M    O     N       XIII.  309 

man's  difobedience  many  were  coNSTiTUTEii'fin- 
ners."  THe  word  tranflated  inade  ought  to  have 
been  rendered  covjlituted.  Adam  did  not  create  or 
make  his  pofterity  finners,  but  only  conjlituted  them 
fuch.  His  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit  violated 
that  Conftitution,  which  would  oiherwife  have  fe- 
cured  the  holinefs  of  all  mankind.  By  his  firft 
tranfgreflion,  therefore,  he  proved  the  occajion  of 
God's  bringing  all  his  pofterity  into  the  world  in  a 
ftate  of  moral  depravity.  And  in  that  way,  aad 
in  that  fenfe  only,  he  made  them  finners.  It  re- 
mains to  fhow, 

IV.  Why  God  conftituted  fuch  a  connexion  be- 
tween Adam  and  his  pofterity.  The  queftion  is 
not,  why  God  determined,  that  Adam  and  his  pof- 
terity ftiould  eventually  become  finners ;  but  why 
he  brought  about  this  event,  by  placing  Adam  in 
a  ftate  of  probation,  and  fufpending  the  moral 
chara6ler  of  his  pofterity  upon  his  conduft,  in  his 
public  capacity.  We  can  eafily  fee,  that  God 
might  have  ordered  the  matter  otherwife.  He 
might  have  Jirjl  made  Adam  finful,  and  afterwards 
made  his  pofterity  like  him,  without  forming  any 
conne6lion  between  his  moral  chara6ler  and  theirs. 
Why  then  did  he  not  take  this  fhort  and  direft 
method,  without  firjl  making  Adam  holy,  and  then 
placing  him  in  a  fituation,  in  which  he  meant  he 
ihould  fall,  and  by  falling,  involve  all  his  pofterity 

in  fin  and  ruin  ? 

To 


310  SERMON    XIII. 

To  this  it  does  not  appear  proper  to  anfwer  as 
many  cio,  that  God  made  Adam  holy,  put  him  into 
a  Hate;, of  probation,  and  conflituted  him  the  pub- 
lic Head  of  his  pofterity,  becaufe  it  was  more  for 
his  benefit  and  theirs,  that  he  fliould  be  placed  in 
fuch  a  public  capacity.  It  is  more  natural  to  con» 
clude^  that  if  God  had  meant  to  confult  the  par- 
ticular benefit  of  mankind,  he  would  have  confirm- 
ed Adam  in  holinefs,  immediately  upon  his  crea- 
tion, and  fo  have  fecured  both  his  zx\6.  their  future 
holinefs  and  happinefs.  We  may  reafonably  fup- 
pofe,  that  God  a6led  upon  a  broader  fcale,  than  the 
particular  good  of  Adam,  or  his  pofterity;  and  had 
a  fuperior  regard  to  his  own  glory,  and  the  general 
good  of  the  whole  created  univerfe.  But  though 
this  was  the  general  reafon  why  God  placed  Adam 
in  a  ftate  of  probation,  and  at  the  head  of  his  pof- 
terity ;  yet  feveral  particular  reafons,  for  this  part 
of  the  divine  conduS,  may  be  fuggefted. 

1.  There  was  a  propriety  in  trying  human  na- 
ture, before  it  became  corrupt.  There  is  nothing 
better  calculated  to  impre fs  upon  the  mlj?4s  of  in- 
telligent creatures  a  deep  and  lafting  fenfe  of  their 
abfolute  dependence,  than  to  be  put  into  a  ftate 
of  tr;ial.  For  this  purpofe,  God  tried  the  angels 
before  their  revolt.  And  for  the  fame  purpofe, 
he  faw  fit  to  try  Adam  before  he  fell,  According- 
ly, in  the  firft  inftance,  he  made  him  upright,  and 
put  him  into  a  ftate  of  probation;  where  he  had 

a 


SERMON     xni.  5*3 

f     n 

a  fair  Opportunity  of  confirming,  or  of  lofing 
original  rectitude.  And  though  God  intendecij* 
that  both  he  and  his  poflerity  fhould  eventually 
become  (inful;  yet,  by  this  mode  of  conduQ,  he 
meant  to  convince  both  him  and  them,  of  their 
abfolute  dependence  upon  his  fovereign  will,  for 
the  beftowment  and  continuance  of  his  moral  im- 
age.    For, 

2.  By  placing  Adam,  -while  perfedly  holy^  lar 
a  ftate  of  probation,  God  anfwered  the  fame  pur- 
pofe  that  would  have  been  anfwered,  by  placing 
all  his  pofterity  in  the  fame  fituation.  By  trying 
Adam,  he  virtually  tried  the  whole  human  race. 
For  Adam  was  as  able  and  as  likely  to  ftand,  as 
any  of  his  pofterity  would  have  been,  had  they 
been  perfonally  placed  in  fimilar  circumftances. 
He  was  under  the  beft  advantages  of  ftanding  the 
teft  of  obedience,  and  of  fecuring  the  everlafting 
approbation  of  his  Maker.  He  was  created  in  a 
ftate  of  manhood,  and  all  his  natural  and  moral 
powers  were  in  their  full  vigor.  He  was  capable 
of  feeing  the  importance,  and  of  feeling  the  obli. 
gations  he  was  under,  of  yielding  perfeQ:  and  per- 
petual obedience  to  the  divine  will.  In  thefe  ref- 
pe6ls,  he  ftood  upon  higher  ground,  than  any  of 
his  defcendants  could  have  ftood,  when  they  came 
into  exiftence.  So  that  they  have  no  reafon  to 
imagine,  that  they  fliould  have  ftood  the  trial  any 
better,  than  their  firft  Parent,     His  trial  was  a  fair 

trial 


3i«;.|  SERMON     XlII. 

trial.of  human  nature  in  its  beft  eftate.  And  finCe 
Vlie  firft  and  beft  of  men  finned  and  fell ;  all  his 
pofterity  have  fufficient  evidence  of  being  abfo- 
lutely  dependent  upon  God  ,  without  whofe  fpecial 
influence,  they  can  neither  become,  nor  continue 
holy  and  happy.     Befides, 

3.  By  trying  Adam  fingly  and  in  the  room  of 
his  pofterity,  God  prepared  the  way  to  bring  the 
Saviour  of  the  world  into  view,  immediately  after 
the  fall.  It  would  have  appeared  ftrange  to  A- 
dam,  and  equally  ftrange  to  his  pofterity  from  time 
to  time,  if  God  had  provided  a  Saviour  for  all 
mankind,  before  it  was  made  certain,  that  all  would 
become  finners,  and  ftand  in  need  of  a  Saviour, 
But  by  making  Adam  a  public  Head  of  his  pof- 
terity, and  connefting  their  moral  charader  with 
his^  God  afcertained  their  future  finfulnefs,  by  his 
lirft  offence.  For  as  foon  as  Adam  needed  a 
Saviour,  it  became  abfolutely  certain,  that  «// his 
pofterity  would  need  one.  This  would  not  have 
appeared,  had  each  individual  of  mankind  ftood 
for  himfelf,  as  each  individual  of  the  angels  did. 
One  reafon,  therefore,  why  God  placed  Adam  as 
the  public  head  of  his  pofterity,  and  fufpended 
their  moral  charaQer  upon  a  fingle  inftance  of  his 
condu6t,  was  becaufe  he  intended  to  provide  a 
Saviour  for  him  and  all  his  guilty  race.  This  he 
did  not  intend  to  do  for  the  angels  after  their  fall ; 
and,  therefore,  he  placed  each  individual  in  a  ftate 

of 


SERMON      XIII.  313 

of  .trial,  to  ftand  or  fall  for  himfelf,  without  fuf- 
pending  the  fate  of  all^  upon  the  conduft  of  one. 
We  barely  fuggeft  thefe  reafons  for  God's  con- 
ftituting  Adam  the  public  Head  of  his  pofterity. 
For  whether  they  are  fufficient  or  infufficient  to  ac- 
count for  this  inftance  of  his  conduft,  is  not  very 
material;  fince  neither  our  duty  nor  falvation  de- 
pends upon  being  able  to  clear  it  up.  It  is  hoped, 
however,  that  what  has  been  hinted,  may  ferve  to 
remove  fome  darknefs  and  prejudice  from  the 
minds  of  thofe,  who  have  been  much  perplexed 
upon  this  fubjeft. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  It  appears  from  the  leading  fentiments  in 
this  difcourfe,  that  Adam  was  the  only  perfon  who 
committed,  and  who  was  guilty,  of  original  Jin, 
This  phrafe  has  been  ufe.d  to  fignify  not  only  the 
fin  of  Adam,  but  the  fin  of  Eve,  and  the  fin  of  ev- 
ery one  of  their  numerous  pofterity.  It  is  true, 
indeed,  that  Eve  committed  2,  Jirjl  fin  ;  and  it  is 
equally  true,  that  every  other  perfon  has  com- 
nmitted  aj?r/2  fm.  But  a  fin's  being  ihcjir/l  that  a 
perfon  ever  committed,  does  not  properly  denom- 
inate it  an  original  fin.  Each  angel  that  fell  com- 
mitted -B-firJl  fin;  but  that  ^r^?  fin  has  never  been 
called,  nor  confidered  to  be,  an  original  fin.  This 
phrafe  is  properly  applicable  to  no  other  fin,  than 
that  of  Adam's  eating  the  forbidden  fruit.  And 
Q  ^  that 


314  SERMON       XIII. 

that  fin  is  properly  called  on'givai,  not  be^aufe  it 
^vas  the j?r/2  ever  eommiitcd  in  this  world,  for  Eve 
was  firft  in  tranTgreffion;  nor  fimply  becaufc  it 
was- th«  j^r/Z  fin  oi  ih&  firjl  vmn-,  but  becgufe  h 
was  that  particular  fl^n,  upon  xvhich  the  morafchair 
aBer  of  all  nianki-nd  was  cviijiitutiondly  fufpended,- 
According  to  the  divine  conftkution,  that  fin  alone 
•was  the  occajion  of  all  the  future  finfulnefs  of  Adam^ 
and  Eve,  and  their  whole  pofterity. 

And  fince  it  is  improper  to  call  any  fi:n  original 
firs  J  but  that  Jirfo  fin  of  Adam  ;  it  is  equally  im- 
proper to  fay,  that  any  perfon  ever  contmitted,  or 
was  gziiliy  oi.prigiiml  fin,  but  the  firft  man  Adam, 
Though  all  men  begin  to  fin,  in  confequence  of 
original  fin  y  yet  their  beginning  to  Jm^  is  neither 
eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  nor  confenting  to  eat 
it,  nor  doing  any  thing  elfe,  whi^ch  refembles  the 
jirft  fir»  of  Adam,  any  more  than  the  Jirji  fin  of 
any  other  man.  The  aft  and  guilt  of  Adam's  firft 
tranfgreiBon  were  his  own,  and  never  transferred 
to  lis.  He  ecm,imitted  and  was  guilty  of  original  fin, 
and  he  alonCr  Though  we  have  committed  a  mul- 
titude of  otlur  fins;  yet  we  never  committed  that 
fiTV,''rlof  ftand  in  the  leaft  degree  chargeable  with 
it:  To  fay,  therefore,  that  alt  mankind  are  guilty 
of'  Adam's  firft  tranfgreffion,  is  extremely  abfurd, 
and  naturally  tends  to  prejudice  the  minds  of  many 
againft  the  (rue  idoElrine  o^  originalfin, 

•    "  '  2.  We 


SERMON      XIIL 


3*5 


2.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  the 
true  do6lrine  of  original  fin  is  clearly  revealed  in 
the  Bible.     This  has  often  been  called  in   quef- 
tion.     Some  fuppofe,  if  fuch  an  important  doc- 
trine were  true,  it  would  have  been  much  more 
frequently  mentioned,  and  much  more  clearly  re- 
vealed, in  Scripture.     They  imagine,  there  is  no 
trait  of  it  to  be  found,  after  the  third   chapter  of 
Genefis,  until  we  come  to  this  Epiftle  to  the  Ro- 
mans, wliich  is  extremely  obfcure  and  hard  to  be 
anderftood.     It  is  readily  granted,  that  the  ideaj 
which   fome  have  formed  of  original   fin,   is  nrt 
where  revealed  in  the  Bible.     But  that  idea  of  it, 
which  has   been  exhibited  in  tliis  difcourfe,   and 
which  we  conceive  to  be  the  only  true  idea,  ap- 
pears to  run  through  all  the  books  of  the  Old  and 
New  Teftament.     Upon  the  firft  offence  of  our 
firft  Parents,   we   read  of  God's   providing  a  Sav- 
iour, not  only  for  them,  but  for  their  future  pof- 
terity.     Immediately  after  this,  we  find  facrifices 
were  appointed,  to  prefigure  a  fuffering  Saviour, 
and,  through  him,  the  pardoning  mercy  of  God  to 
all  penitent  finners.     Under  the  Law.  circumcif- 
ion  was  inftituted,   which  plainly  reprefented   the 
native  depravity  of  the  human  heart.     This  doc- 
trine was  uniformly  taught  by  all  the  facred  Wri- 
ters from  Mofes  to   Malachi.       John   the  Baptift 
and  Chrift  himfelf  plainly  and  pointedly  preached 
the  fame  fentiment.      Chrift  inftituted  the  ordi- 
nance 


3i6  SERMON       XIII. 

nance  of  Baptifm,  which  fignifies  "  the  wafhing  of 
regeneration,  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghoft."  Paul  reprefents  Adam  and  Chrift  as  two 
public  Heads  of  mankind;  and  plainly  declares, 
that  we  became  finners,  by  the  difobedience  of 
the  former,  and  may  be  faved  from  ruin,  by  the  o- 
bedience  of  the  latter.  Chrift  is  reprefented,  in 
the  New  Teftament,  as  the  Saviour  provided  for 
both  Jews  and  Gentiles ;  and  is  exprefsly  faid  to 
be  a  propitiation  for  the  fins  of  the  whole  world. 
And  the  predi6lions  concerning  the  future  fpread 
of  the  gofpel,  and  the  enlargement  of  the  Redeem- 
er's kingdom,  carry  the  idea,  that  mankind  will  all 
be  finfu],  and  need  a  Saviour,  to  the  end  of  time. 
In  fuch  a  great  variety  of  ways,- is  the  conflituted  coU' 
neBion  between  the  firft  fin  of  Adam  and  the  finful- 
T\ftk  of  all  mankind  to  the  lateft  pofterity,  clearly 
revealed  in  the  Bible.  Neither  the  promifes  con- 
cerning the  coming  of  Chrift ;  nor  the  declarations 
concerning  his  delign  in  coming;  nor  the  defcrip- 
tions  of  his  fufFerings  and  death;  nor  the  pofitive 
mftitutions  of  the  gofpel,  can  be  accounted  for 
on  any  other  ground,  than  that  of  Original  fin. 
This  do6lrine  lies  at  the  foundation  of  all  revealed 
religion  ;  and  to  deny  it,  is  virtually  to  deny  the 
whole  of  divine  Revelation.  For  if  it  had  not 
been  for  the  original  fin  of  the  Jirjl  Man,  there 
would  have  been  no  occafion  for  the  fufferings 
and  death  of  the  fecond  Man,  who  is  the  Lord  from 
heaven.  x  3-  There 


SERMON     '^Xlir.  317 

3.  There  is  no  ground  to  fuppofe,  from  any  thing 
which  has  been  faid  in  this  dilcourfe,  that  Adam 
knew,  before  the  fall,  that  he  was  ihe  public  head 
of  his  pofterity ;  or  that  his  condu61:  fliould  deter* 
mine  the  moral  ftate,  in  which  they  fhould  come 
into  exiflence.    The  divine  prohibition  and  threat- 
ening were  fufficient  to  acquaint  him  with  his  duty, 
and  lay  him  under  obligation  to  perform  it.    Th^re 
appears  to  have  been  no  more  occafion  for  his 
knowing,  that  his  Jin  would  dellroy  his  pofterity  ; 
than   for  his  knowing,    that  a  divine  Redeemer 
would  come   into  the  world  to  fave  them.     God 
conftituted  the  connexion  between  him  and  his 
pofterity,  to  regulate  his  own  conduft,  and  to  ac- 
eomplifti  his  own  defigns.  And  he  might  fee  a  great 
impropriety,  in  acquainting  him  with  his  public 
capacity,  before  his  firft  tranfgreffion.  Our  Saviour 
concealed  the  knowledge  of  his  charafter  and  fuf- 
ferings,  for  a  long  time  after  he  entered  upon  his 
public  miniftry,  left  this  knowledge  fhould  either 
retard  or  accelerate  the  event  of  his  death.     And 
God  might  forefee,  that  it  would  fruftrate  his  own 
deCgns,  if  he  acquainted  Adam  with  his  public  ca- 
pacity, before  he  had  a6lually  involved  himfelf 
and  his  pofterity  in   ruin.     Accordingly  we  find 
the  firft  prohibition  and  threatening  were  dire6led 
to  him  perfonally.    God  fays,  "In  the  day  thou  eat- 
cft  thereof,  thou  fhalt  furely  die."    If  we  now  fearch 
the  Bible  from  beginning  to  end,  we  (hall  difcover 

no 


31$  SERMON    XIU. 

fjo  intimation,  that  God  informed  Adam  of  his  be- 
ing placed  as  the  pubhc  Head  of  his  pofterity,  he- 
fore  he  aSually  finned,  and  expo  fed  them  all  to  the 
fatal  effefts  of  his  firll  tranfgreflion.  And  fince 
the  Scriptures  are  entirely  filent  upon  this  point, 
it  is  by  no  means  proper  to  take  it  for  granted,  and 
to  reafon  from  it  as  an  eftablifhed  truth, 

4.    It  appears  from  what  has  been  faid  m  this 
difcourfe,  that  God  did  no  injujiicc  to  mankind,  in 
appointing  Adam  their  public  Head.     They  have 
often  complained  of  the  injuftice  of  God,  on  this 
account.     But  they  never  had  the  leaft  foundation 
foe  this  general  complaint.     It  appears  from  what 
has  been  faid,  that  the  conftituted  connexion  bc'^ 
tween  Adam  and  his  pofterity,  neither  made  his  fin 
their  fin  ;  nor  his  guilt  thdr  guilt;  nor  expofed  thtm 
to  the  leaft  degree  of  puni/himnt,  on  his  account. 
There  could  be  no  injuftice,  therefore,  in  God's 
appointing  Adam  the  public  Head  of  his  pofterity. 
It  is  prefumed,  the  general  complaint  of  injuftice 
has  originated  entirely  from  a  falfe  idea  of  the  di- 
vine conftitution,  under  which  Adam  was  placed. 
God  made  that  conftitution  to  regulate  his  own  con- 
duQ. }   and  not  to  regulate  the  conduft  of  either 
Adam  or  his  pofterity.  It  was  Adam's  duty  to  obey 
the  divine  prohibition,  whether  he  ftood  in  a  pub- 
lic or  private  capacity.  And  it  is  our  duty  to  obey 
all  the  divine  commands,  notwithftanding  his  con- 
ftituted relation^to  and  connexion  with  us.    The 

truth 


SERMON       XIII.  gt^ 

truth  is,  there  was  neither  jyfiice,  nor  injvjlice^  in 
God's  appointing  Adam  our  public  Head.  It  was 
an  aft  of  mere  Sovereignty.  God,  as  a  Sovereign, 
had  as  good  a  right,  to  make  Adam  the  public 
Head  of  his  pofterity,  as  he  had,  to  make  him  at 
all,  or  to  place  him  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  or  to 
determine  a  fingle  circamftance  of  his  life.  And, 
as  a  Sovereign,  he  had  as  good  a  right,  to  determine 
that  his  pofterity  fhould  be  finners,  in  confequence 
of  his  firft  offence,  as  he  had,  to  determine  their 
numbers,  their  natural  abilities,  their  outward  cir- 
cumftances,  and  their  final  ftate.  There  is  neither 
juftice,  nar  injuflice,  in  God's  determining  what  the 
moral  charafters  of  moral  agents  fhall  be;  though 
there  may  be  juftice,  or  injuftice,  in  his  conduft 
towards  them,  after  their  moral  charafters  are  form- 
ed. The  conftitution,  which  conne6led  Adam's 
lin  v/ith  the  fin  of  his  pofterity,  was  fuch  a  confti- 
tution as  God  had. an  original  and  fovereign  rioht 
to  make.  For  if  he  had  a  right  to  bring  us  into 
exiftence,  he  had  an  equal  right  to  determine  horo 
he  would  bring  us  into  exiftence,  whether  as  fingle, 
detached  individuals,  like  the  angels ;  or  as  natur- 
ally and  cbhUitutionally  conneQed  with  our  firff 
and  great  Progenitor.  And  fince  God  had  a  fove- 
reign  right  to  place  us  under  fuch  a  conftitution, 
we  have  no  right  to  call  it  unwife,unjuft,  or  unkind. 
5.  It  appears  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  our 
firft  Parent  laid  us  under  no  neceffity  of  finning. 

If 


320  SERMON     Xlli: 

If  he  had  tranfmitted  to  us  a  corrupt  nature,  or  2 
finfid  principle,  MQ  might  have  had  fome  ground  to  ; 
fuppofe,  that  we  were  obliged  to  fin,  by  the  fatal  in- 
fluence of  his  firft  tranfgreffion.  But  fince  that 
fin  neither  dire6lly  nor  indireftly  ever  affefted 
either  our  natural  or  moral  faculties;  it  is  cer- 
tain, that  we  a8;  as  freely  and  voluntary  in  com- 
mitting fin,  as  we  could  have  done,  if  Adam  had 
never  finned,  nor  ftood  in  the  leaft  connexion 
with  us.  It  is  true,  indeed,  his  firft  offence,  ac- 
cording to  the  divine  defign,  determined  the  e- 
vent  of  our  becoming  finners.  But  the  defign  of 
God  never  laid  any  of  his  creatures  under  a  nc- 
ceffity  of  finning.  God  defigned,  that  Adam  fhould 
fall,  and,  from  eternity,  provided  a  remedy  for  it; 
but  God's  defign  laid  him  under  no  necelGty  of 
falling,  nor  of  accepting  the  remedy  provided.  So, 
God's  defign,  that  we  fhould  be  finners,  if  he  par- 
took of  the  forbidden  fruit,  did  not  lay  us,  or  any 
of  his  pofterity,  under  a  neceffity  of  committing  fin. 
Neither  Scripture,  nor  reafon,  nor  experience, 
teaches  us,  that  we  are  conjlrained  to  hate  God, 
or  tranfgrefs  bis  holy  and  righteous  commands, 
by  virtue  of  any  guilt,  pollution,  or  depravity,  de- 
rived from  Adam.  We  have  no  more  right  to 
caft  the  blame  of  our  fins  upon  him;  than  he  had 
to  transfer  his  fin  aTvd  guilt  to  us.  He  muft  an- 
fwer  for  l^is  pwn  fins ;    aiwl  we  muft  anfw^  for 

ours. 

6.  If 


S     E     R     ivr     O     N       XIIL 


321 


X.  6,  I r  Adam  has  proved  the  occafion  of  involv- 
ing all  his  poftcrity  in  fm ;  then  children  ftand  in 
peculiar  need  of  a  virtuous  and  pious  education. 
They  are  all  liable  to  fin,  as  foon  as  they  become 
moral  agents.     And  there  is  a  moral   certainty,  if 

they  live,  that  they  will  run  into  evil,  and  incur 
the  divine  difpleafure.  This  is  a  mod  alarming 
confideration  to  parents.  They  have  been  the 
occafion  of  introducing  them  into  a  fmful  world, 
where  they  are  in  the  utmoil  danger  of  difiionor- 
ing  God,  and  of  deftroying  themfelves  forever. 
If  parents  would  duly  conliderthe  depraved  hearts 
of  their  children,  they  would  feel  very  folicitous 
to  train  them  up  in  the  way  they  fhould  go ;  and, 
if  pofTible,  early  inftil  into  their  young  and  tender 
minds,  the  pure  principles  of  religion  and  virtue. 
Nor  would  they  negled  to  lay  all  proper  reflraints 
upon  them,  to  preferve  them  from  the  paths  of 
the  deflroyer,  the  fpirit  that  now  worketh  in  the 
children  of  difobedience.  The  law  of  nature  re* 
quires  parents  to  promote  the  temporal  happinefs 
of  their  children;  and  the  law  of  chriftianity  re- 
quires them  to  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord.  And  though  they  can- 
not fanftify  the  hearts  of  their  children;  yet  they 
can  inftru6l  their  minds,  reftrain  their  outward 
conduQ;,  and  comnriend  them  to  Him,  who  is  able 
to  make  them  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  faints 
R  R  in 


324  SERMON     XIIL 

in  light.  If  tlVey  negleft  to  do  thefe  things,  they 
will  fin  againft  God,  and  become  acceffary  to  the* 
ruin  of  their  dear  offspring.  But  how  can  they 
be^r  the  thoughts  of  feeing  their  children  openly 
vicious,  and  finally  impenitent !  It  would  have 
been  better  for  them  never  to  have  been- born, 
than  to  live  and  to-  die  in  fin.  Their  cafe,  there- 
fore, loudly  calls  for  the  compafTion,  the  prayers, 
and  inftruQiions  of  their  parents,  who  are  under 
every  tender  and  folemn  tie,  to  do  all  in  their  pow- 
er, to  promote  their  temporal  and'  eternal  happr- 
ncfs. 

7.  This  fubje6l  calls  upon  all  impenitent  finners, 
immediately  to  repent  and  believe  the  gofpel. 
They  have  no  excufe  for  their  enmity  and  difo- 
bedience  to  God.  They  have  never  been  necef- 
farily  drawn  into  fin,  by  any  corrupt  nature  or  cor- 
rupt principle  derived  from  Adam.  They  have 
finned  freely  and  voluntarily,  and  therefore  de- 
ftroyed  themfelves.  In  this  guilty  and  perifhing 
fituation,  it  is  their  immediate  duty  to  repent,  and 
look  up  to  God  for  pardoning  mercy,  through  the 
divine  Redeemer.  He  came  to  feek  and  to  fave 
thofc  who  are  loft,  and  ftands  ready  to  receive  all 
weary,  heavy  laden  finners.  Let  them  no  longer 
charge  their  mifery  and  guilt  upon  God,  nor  upon 
Adam;  but  let  them  take  the  fhame  and  blame  of 
all   their  fins  to  themfelves.     And  as  they  have 

freely 


SERMON      XIU.  g23 

freely  and  voluntary  finned ;  fo  let  them  freely 
and  voluntarily  repent  and  believe  the  gofpel. 
This  is  their  immediate  and  important  duty.  They 
have  no  excufe  for  a  moment's  delay.  Life  and 
death  are  now  fet  before  them^  It  depends  not 
upon  the  condu^  of  Adam,  but  upon  their  own 
choice,  whedier  they  fliall  be  happy,  or  miferable 
forever.  Though  their  fins  have  greatly  abound- 
ed; yet  if  they  repent  and  believe  the  gofpel, 
the  grace  of  God,  through  Jefus  Chrift  our  Lord, 
fliall  much  more  abound,  in  their  eternal  falva* 
tion.     Amen? 


SERMON 


SERMON     XIV, 

The  Nature,  Extent,  and  Influ- 
ence of  the  Moral  Depravi- 
ty of  Sinners, 

Romans  viii.  7,  8. 

Bccaufe  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  againjl  God :  for  ib 
is  not  fiibjeB  to  the  law  of  God^  neither  indeed  can  he. 
So  then  they  that  are  in  thejlejli  cannot  pleafe  God. 

XT  has  been  much  difputed  of  late,  among 
thofe  who  call  themfelves  Calvinifts,  whether  all 
the  doings  of  unregenerate  men  are  altogether  fin- 
ful.  There  would  be  no  diflBculty  in  deciding 
this  queftion,  if  thofe,  who  profefs  to  believe  the 
total  corruption  of  human  nature,  would  only  a- 
gree  to  draw  the  fame  inference  from  it*  But 
there  are  many,  who  acknowledge,  that  the  hearts 
of  finners  are  totally  depraved,  and  yet  deny,  that 
their  rt^ms  are  altogether  criminal.     It  feems  nc- 

ceHary, 


02$  SERMON      XIV. 


.o 


ceffary,  therefore,  in  order  to  bring  this  point  to 
a  fair  and  final  decifion,  not  only  to  prove,  that  iin- 
ners  are  totally  depraved ;  but  alfo  to  prove,  that 
iheir  total  depravity  extends  io  all  their  aftions, 
iind  tarns  them  into  fin.  And  the  words  which  I 
have  read,  naturally  lead  us  to  confider  this  fub- 
je6l  in  this  manner.  "Becaufethe  carnal  mind 
is  enmity  againft  God  :  for  it  is  not  fubje6t  to  the 
law  of  God,  neither  indeed  €an  be.  So  then  they 
that  are  in  the  flefh  cannot  pleafe  God."  By  the 
carnal  mind,  the  Apoftle  means  the  carnal  heari  ; 
for  it  is  the  heart  only,  which  is  enmity  againft  God. 
And  this  carnal  heart  he  reprefents,  as  corrupting 
all  the  a6lions  which  proceed  from  it.  He  lays 
down  the  total  depravity  of  finners  as  a  firft  prin- 
ciple} from  which  he  draws  the  only  fair  and  natu- 
ral conclufjon,  that  they  cannot  pleafe  God.  His 
plain  meaning,  therefore,  may  be  clearly  expreffed 
in  this  plain  propofition  : 

The  total  depravity  of  finners  renders  all  thcjr 
aftians  totally  depraved. 

To  illuftrate  this  fubje6l:,  I  fiiall, 

I.   Show,  that  finners  are  totally  depraved  :  And, 

n.  Show,  that  their  total  depravity  totally  de- 
praves all  their  aftions. 

I.  I  am  to  fliow,  that  finners  are  totally  depravr 
cd. 

There  is  no  truth  more  clearly  and  fully  taught 
in  Scripture,  than  the  total   depravity  of  finners. 

They 


SERMON      Xrv.  327- 

They  are  rcprefcnted  a's  fpiritually  J^^and  blind. 
*«  Bring  forth  the  blind  people  that  have  eyes,  and 
the  deaf  ihat  have  ears.  Hear,  ye  deaf;  and  look, 
ye  blindy  that  ye  may  fee".'*  They  are  reprefented 
as  fpiritually  dead.  "Wherefore  he  faith,  Awake 
thou  that  fleepeft,  and  arife  from  the  dead^  and 
Chrift  fhall  give  thee  light.  And  you  hath  he 
quickened,^  who  were  dead  in  trefpaffes  and  fins." 
They  are  reprefented  as  incapable  of  difcerning 
the  moral  beauty  of  divine  obje6ls.  "But  the 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God:  for  they  are  foolifilnefs  unto  him;  nei- 
ther can  he  know  tliem,  becaufe  they  are  fpiritual- 
ly difcerned."  Thefe  are  plain,  though  figurative, 
defcriptions  of  the  total  depravity  of  finners* 
Their  hearts  are  alfo  reprefented  as  not  only  def- 
titute  of  moral  goodnefs,  but  as  full  of  moral  evil. 
We  read,  "  God  faw  that  the  wickednefs  of  man 
was  great  in  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination 
of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continu- 
ally." Solomon  fays,  "  The  heart  of  the  fons  of 
men  is  full  of  evil,  and  madnefs  is  in  their  heart 
while  they  live,  and  after  that  they  go  to  the  dead." 
Our  Lord  told  the  unbelieving  Jews,  "I  know  you, 
that  ye  have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you.  Ye  are 
of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lufts  of  your  fath- 
er ye  will  do.  Ye  ferpents,  ye  generation  of  vi- 
pers, how  can  you  efcape  the  damnation  of  hell  ?" 
The  Apoftle  Paul  paints,  the  total  depravity  of  fin- 

ners 


32sS  SERMON    XIV. 

tiers  irtjjlibe  ftrongeft  colors.     "They  are  all  gone 
out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  become  unprofit- 
able :  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no  not  one. 
Their  throat  is  an  open    fepulchre;   with  their 
tongues  they  have  ufed  deceit ;  the  poifon  of  afps 
is  under  their  lips ,  whofe  mouth  is  full  of  curfing 
and  hitternefs.  Their  feet  are  fwift  to  ftied  blood. 
Deftruftion  and  mifery  are  in  their  ways,  and  the 
way  of  peace  have  they  not  known  :    there  is  no 
fear  of  God   before  their  eyes."     Agreeably    to 
thefe  reprefentatibns,  we  find  fuch  appellations  and 
epithets  given  to  finners,  as  ftrongly  exprefs  their 
total  depravity.     They  are   called   the  wnjuft,  the 
imrighteous,  the  wwgodly,  the  imholy,  the  zmbeliev- 
ing  and  enemies  of  the  crofs  of  Chrift.    Such  per- 
fons  as  juftly  deferve  thefe  charafters,  muft  be  en- 
tirely deftitute  of  every  holy  and  virtuous  affedion. 
But  the  manner,  in  which  the  Scripture  dijlin- 
guipies  faints  from  finners,  affords  the  moft  clear 
and  convincing  evidence,   that  all,  who   are  not 
faints,  are  totally  depraved.     According  to  Scrip- 
ture, he  that  loveth  God  is  a  faint,  but  he  that  lov- 
eth  him  not  is  a  finner ;  he  that  repenteth  of  fin  is 
a  faint,  but  he  that  repenteth  not  is  a  finner ;  he 
that  believeth  in  Chrift  is  a  faint,  but  he  that  be- 
lieveth  not  is  a  finner ;   he  that  is  born  of  God 
is   a  faiiit,    but  he    that  is  not  born  of  God  is 
a  finner ;    he  that  is  in  the  Spirit  is  a  faint,  but 
he  that  is  iu  the  fiefh  is,  a  finner  j  he  that  is   for 

Chrift 


SERMON       XlV.  ^^ig 

Chrift  is  a  faint,  bat  he  that  is  agaivjl  him  is  a  fin- 
ner.  This  mode  of  diftinclion  neceffarily  implies, 
that  faints  h.?iwe  fome  grace,  but  finners  have  none; 
that  faints  ha-vefome  holinefs,  but  finners  have  oionei 
and  that  nothing  fliort  of  total  depravity  can  juft- 
\y  denominate  any  perfon  a  finner,  in  diftinclion 
from  a  faint.  Though  the  plaineft  paffages  of 
Scripture  in  favoi-  of  total  depravity,  may  be  tor- 
tured to  fome  other  meaning;  yet  this  argument 
in  favor  of  this  do6lrine,  drawn  from  the  fcriptiLral 
7)ianner  of  diftinguifliing  faints  from  finners,  admits 
of  no  evafion,  and  cannot  be  rejecled,  without 
rejefting  the  very  diftin6tion  itfelf.  Whoever  un* 
dertakes  to  defcribe  a  finner,  without  taking  total 
depravity  into  his  charafter,  will  defcribe  a  faint. 
If  he  fay,  a  finner  is  one  who  fometimes^does  good, 
and  fometimes  does  evil;  this  is  a  defcription  of 
a  faint.  For  every  faint  fometimes  does  good,  and 
fometimes  does  evil.  If  he  fay,  a  finner  is  one 
who  does  more  evil  than  good;  this  is  a  defcrip- 
tion of  a  faint.  For  every  faint  has  more  fin  than 
iiolinefs.  If  he  fciy,  a  finner  is  one  who  has  the 
lowefl  degree  of  grace;  this  is  a  defcription  of  a 
faint.  For  the  ieafl  degree  of  love,  faith,  repent- 
ance, or  any  other  holy  afFe6lion,  forms  the  char- 
acler  of  a  faint,  and  entitles  him  to  the  divine  fav- 
or. Indeed,  alk  any  intelligent,  frank,  candid 
man,  who  denies  total  depravity,  to  tell  you  the 
elTcntial  difference  between  a  faint  and  a  finner, 
S  :.  and 


330  SERMON       XIV. 

^nd;  he  will  freely  acknowledge,  that  it  is  out  of 
bis  po^ver.  For  he  knows,  if  all  men  are  poflefled 
Oijo?ne  real  holinefs,  then  the  only  moral  differ- 
ence be,tween  one  perfon  and  another  is,  that  one 
has  ?ttorf,  and  another  has  kfs  true  love  to  God. 
But  this  is  the  difference  between  one  faint  and  a- 
nother,  and  not  the  difference  between  a  faint  and 
afinner.  The  mof!  celebrated  Writers,  who  deny 
total  depravity,  appear  to  be  unable  to  point  out 
^ny  effential  difference  between  faints  and  finners. 
We  may  read  all  the  fermons  of  Barrow,  Clarke, 
Hoadley,  and  Tillotfon,  and  never  find  a  fingle  in- 
ftance,  in  which  they  have  drawn  two  effentially 
Afferent  moral  chara£lers.  They  fpeak  of  faints 
and  finners  in  fcripture  language;  but  thev  never 
fhow,  wherein  they  effentially  differ,  nor  defcribe 
that  particular  aft  orexercife  of  mind,  by  which  a 
iinner  becomes  a  faint.  Hence  it  appears  from 
faft,  as  well  as  from  Scripture,  that  it  is  impofEble 
to  point  out  any  effential  moral  difference  between 
a  (inner  and  a  faint,  without  making  total  depravi- 
ty, the  peculiar  and  effential  character  of  a  finner. 
If  there  be  any  fuch  pcrfons  in  the  world,  there- 
fore, as  juflly  deferve  to  be  called  ^?27Z£:r5,  in  dif- 
tinftion  i^rom  fa inis,  they  are  totally  depraved,  and 
wholly  under  the  dominion  of  a  carnal  mind,  which 
IS  enmity  againfl  God.  The  way  is  now  prepared 
to  fhow, 

II.  That  the  total  depravity  of  finners  totally  de- 
files and  depraves  all  their  anions. 

Their 


SERMON       XIV.  ^31 

Their  total  depravity  is  of  a  moral  nature,  and 
^entirely  diftinQ  from  their  intelleftual  powers. 
They  can  perceive  as  well,  they  can  remember  as 
well,  they  can  reafon  as  well,  and  they  can  diliin- 
guifli  between  moral  good  and  evil  as  well,  as  the 
belt  of  faints.  The  total  depravity  of  their  natur- 
al faculties,  would  entirely  deftroy  their  moral  de- 
pravity. For  were  their  reafon  and  confcience 
totally  depraved,  they  would  be  altogether  incapa- 
ble of  doing  right  or  wrong,  or  performing  any 
moral  a6tion,  which  fhould  be  either  pleafing  or 
difpleafing  to  God.  Their  moral  depravity,  there- 
forcj  muft  confift  in  their  hearts.  And  this  is  a- 
greeable  to  the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture.  The  A- 
poftle  tell  us,  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  againfl 
God."  As  enmity  belongs  to  the  heart,  and  not 
to  the  underftanding  ;  fo  the  heart  muft  be  the  feat 
of  moral  corruption.  Solomon  fays,  "  Foolifiinefs 
h  bound  in  the  heart  of  a'  child ;  but  the  rod  of 
correftion  will  drive  it  far  from  him."  By  fool- 
ilhnefs  here  he  means  moral  depravity  ;  and  this 
he  places  in  the  heart.  Cod  prbmi fes  to  renew 
the  hearts  of  finners,  in  order  to  remove  thck 
moral  depravity.  "  A  new  heart  alfo  will  I  give 
yoii,  and  a  newT]Slrit  will  I  put  within  you  :  and  T 
will  take  away  the  ftony  heart  out  of  your  fiefii, 
and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flefli."  If  the 
removal  of  an  evil  heart  will  take  away  total  de- 
praVity,"'tlicn  tbtaldeprivity'  certainly  corififtsTn 

an 


838 


SERMON     XIV, 


^n  evil  heart.  When  God  would  paint  the  de- 
pravity of  finners  in  the  ftrongeft  colors,  he  fays, 
"  When  they  I(,new  him,  they  glorified  him  not  as 
God,  neither  were  they  thankful,  but  became  vain  in 
their  imaginations,  and  their  foolifli  heart  was  dark- 
enecj."  So  when  Chrift  would  aggravate  the  de- 
pravity and  guilt  of  the  Jews  in  the  higheft  de- 
gree, he  fays,  "  They  have  both  feen  and  haied 
both  me  and  my  father."  Paul  alfo  reprefents  the 
yery  eflence  of  fin,  or  moral  depravity,  as  confift- 
ing  in  the  oppofition  of  the  heart  to  the  light  of 
confcierice,  "  To  hirn  that  knoweth  to  do  good, 
and  doeth  it  not,  to  hini  it  is  fin."  And  this,every 
finner  knows  to  be  true,  by  hjs  own  experience. 
He  finds,  that  his  heart  is  not  only  diftinft  from  his 
confaence,  Ipin  in  direft  oppofition  to  it.  His  co7i~ 
fcience  tells  him  to  do  what  his  heart  hates  and  op- 
pofes  ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  his  heart  inclines 
him  to  do  what  his  cpnfcience  forbids  and  con- 
demns. It  appears  frorn  Scripture  and  experience, 
therefore,  ihat  the  heart  is  the  only  feat  pf  moral 
depravity.  There  is  no  other  place  in  the  mind, 
where  it  can  be  found,  nor  where  it  can  poflibly 
exift- 

,  Now,  if  finners  are  totally  depraved,  and  their 
total  depravity  lies  in  the  heart  ;  then  the  Apoftle's 
realoni-ng  is  plain  and  conclufiye.  "  So  then  they 
that  are  in  the  fitfli  cannqt  pleafe  God."  A  cor- 
vunt  hjeart  necelfaiily  corrupts  all  the  anions  ^vhich 

proceed 


SERMON      XIV.  333 

proceed  from  it.  And^  fmce  Tinners  always  aft 
from  a  corrupt  heart,  all  their  aQions  mud  be  cor- 
rupt. The  only  way  to  prove  any  aOion  to  be 
criminal,  is  to  prove  that  it  was  done  from  a  wick- 
ed h^art.  Why  is  murder  a  crime  ?  No  other  rea- 
fon  can  be  given,  but  that  it  ncceffarily  flows 
from  malice  prepenfe.  Why  are  all  the  actions 
of  the  devil  criminal  ?  No  other  reafon  can  be 
given,  but  that  he  always  aBs  from  a  malevolent 
heart.  If  finners,  therefore,  have  a  totally  deprav- 
ed heart,  which  is  enmity  againft  God,  and  if  they 
always  a6i  from  this  malevolent  heart ;  then  it  ne- 
ceflarily  follov/s,  that  all  their  aftions  are  finful, 
and  difplcafing  to  him,  who  knows  from  what 
(ource  they  proceed.  There  is  no  way  to  evade 
the  force  of  this  reafoning,  but  only  to  deny,  that 
all  the  aftions  of  finners  flow  from  the  heart.  And 
fince  fome  have  prefumed  to  deny  this  plain  and 
important  truth,  I  will  endeavor  to  demonftrate  it. 
Here  I  would  obferve, 

1.  The  Scripture  reprefents  all  human  alliens  as 
flowing  from  the  heart.  We  are  told,  that  Abra- 
ham was  required  to  facrifice  his  fon,  and  that  he 
obeyed  the  divine  command.  But  we  know,  that 
his  obedience  wholly  confided  in  the  intention  of 
his  heart.  David  is  reprefentcd  as  doing  -welU  while 
it  was  only  in  his  heart  to  build  the  houfe  of  the 
Lord.  This  Solomon  exprefsly  declares.  "  And 
the  Lqrc}  fajd  unto  David  my  father,  Whereas  it 

was 


334 


SERMON    XIV. 


was  in  thine  hart  to  build  *n  houfe  unto  my  name, 
tlwii  didjlxvdl  that  it  was  in  thine  heart."  And  Ju- 
das 2k.diQdJro7n  the  heart  in  betraying  Chriii.  For 
Satan  put  it  in  his  heart  to  betray  him.  That  h^ 
Satan  fuggefted  the  temptation,  and  Judas  in  his 
heart  complied  with  it.  Thefe,  and  numerqus 
other  inftances  which  might  be  coUe£ted  frpiu 
Scripture,  clearly  fliow,  that  all  human  actions  o- 
riginate  in  and  flow  from  the  heart. 

Our  Saviour  taught  this  doftrine  in  the  plained 
and  llrongell  terms,     "  O   generation   of  vipers, 
how  can  ye,  being  evil,  fpeak  good  things  ?ybr  out 
of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  fpeaketh.     A 
good  man  out  of  the  good  treajure  of  the  heart  bring-- 
eth  forth  good  things :  And  an  evil  man  out  of  the 
tyil  treajare  bringeth  forth  evil  things.     But  I  fay 
unto  you,  That   every  idle   word  that  men   fliall 
fpeak,  they  fhall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day 
of  judgment.     For  by   thy  words  thou   fhalt  be 
juiUfied,  and  by  thy  words  thou  fhalt  be  condemn- 
ed."    Chrift  infilled  much  upon  this  point  in  oppo- 
fition  to  the  Pharifees,  who  were  fond  of  feparat- 
ing  aftions   from  the  heart.     He   addrefTed  them 
in  this  pointed  language.     "Ye  hypocrites,  well 
did  Efaias  prophefy  of  you,   faying,  This   people 
draweth  nigh  unto  me  with  their  mouth,  and  hon- 
oreth  me  with  their  lips,  but  their  heart  is  far  from 
me."     He.  then  fpake  a  parable  to  illuftrate   this 
declaration.      "Not  that   W'hich   goeth  into    the 

mouth 


SERMON       XIV.  335 

mouth  defileth  a  man ;  but  that  which  goeth  out 
of  the  mouth,  this  defileth  a  man."  This  parable  of- 
fending the  Pharifees,  Peter  defired  Chrift  to  ex- 
plain it.  Accordingly  he  replied  and  faid,  "  Are  ye 
alfo  without  underftanding  ?  Do  not  ye  yet  un- 
derfland,  that  whatfoever  enterethin  at  the  mouth 
goeth  into  the  belly,  and  h  caft  out  into  the 
draught.  But  thofe  things  which  proceed  out  of 
the  mouth  come  forth  from  the  heart,  and  they  de- 
Jile  the  man.  For  oitt  of  the  hea.rt  proceed  evif 
thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornications,  thefts, 
falfe  witnefs,  blafphemies  :  Thefe  are  the  things' 
which  J^/d  a  man."  Our  Lord  here  plainly  af- 
ferts,  that  a//humana6lions  proceed  from  the  heart; 
and  he  conveys  the  fame  fentiment  in  hrs  expofi- 
tion  of  the  divine  law.  "  When  the  Pharifees  had 
heard  that  he  had  put  the  Sadducees  to  filence. 
Then  one  of  them  who  was  a  lawyer  afked  him  a 
queftion,  tempting  him,  and  faying,  Mafter,  which 
is  the  great  commandment  in  the  law  ?  Jefus  faid 
unto  him.  Thou  fhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  foul,  and  with  all  thy 
mind.  This  is  the  firft  and  great  commandment. 
And  the  fecond  is  like  unto  it,  Thou  fbalt  love 
thy  neighbor  as  thyfelf.  On  thefe  two  command- 
ments hang  all  the  law  and  prophets."  It  is  eafy 
to  fee  the  truth  and  propriety  of  this  expofuion,  if 
all  the  a61ions  of  men  flow  from  the  heart.  For 
if  this  be  true,  then  the  commands  to  read  and  pray, 

to 


336  SERMON       XIV. 

to  labor  fix  days  in  the  week  and  fanftify  the  fev- 
chih,  a'nd  to  perform  all  other  virtuous  and  holy 
a6lions5  are  neceffarily  comprized  in  the  law  of 
love.  By  requiring  a  ^oofl(  hearty  God  virtually  re- 
quires all  good  actions,  and  virtually  forbids  all 
bad  aclions.  So  the  Apoftle  reafons  upon  the  fub- 
jetl.  "  He  that  Joveth  another  hath  fulfilled  the 
law.  For  this,  that  is,  far  this  reafon,  Thou  flialt 
not  commit  adultery,  Thou  fhalt  not  kill,  Thou  i 
fhalt  not  fteal,  Thou  fhalt  not  bear  falfe  witnefsj 
Thou  fhalt  not  covet;  and  if.  there  be  any  other 
commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  this 
faying,  namely,  Thou  fhalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyfelf.  Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbor, 
therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling^  of  the  law."  This 
text  plainly  teaches,  that  the  law  requires  love, 
becaufe  love  will  produce  all  good  anions,  and 
prevent  all  bad  ones;  or  in  other  words,  that  the 
law  requires  a  good  heart,  becaufe  all  good  aHions 
will  flow  from  it ;  and  forbids  a  bad  heart,  becaufe 
all  bad  anions  will  flow  from  it.  Thus  it  appears 
from  Scripture  precepts  and  prohibitions,  as  well 
as  from  Scripture  reprefentations  and  declarations^ 
that  all  human  actions  flow  from  the  heart.  And 
to  make  it  appear,  that  we  have  given  the  true 
fenfe  of  Scripture  upon  this  point,  and  flill  fur- 
ther to  eftablifh  it,  we  may  obferve, 

2.  That  moral  agency  wholly  confifls  in  the 
heart,  and  therefore  every  moral  adion  muft  ne- 
celTarily  flow  from  this,  and  no  other  fource. 

The 


SERMON      XIV.  337 

The  heart  confifts  in  voluntary  exercifes;  and 
voluntary  exercifes  are  moral  agency.     Willing  is 
a6ling.     Willing  right  is  aBing  right;  and  willing 
wrong  is  acting  wrong.     All  voluntary   exercifes 
belong  to  the  heart;  and  therefore  loving  and  hat- 
ing is  as  really  a£ling,  as  choofing  and  refufing. 
It  is  true,  we  fcmetimes  make  a  diftintlion  among 
the  exercifes  of  the  heart;  and  call  fome  affedionsj 
and  others  volitions.     But  the  only  ground  of  this 
diftinBion  is,  that  loving  and  hating,  which  we  call 
dffeBions,  are  ivimancnt  exercifes  of  the  heart,  which 
produce  no  external  effects;  whereas  choofing  and 
refufing,  which   we  call   volitions,   are  imperative 
a6ls  of  the  will,  and  produQive  of  external  ac- 
tions.    Moral  agency,  however,  equally  belongs 
to  the  heart  and  the  -will,  or  to  both  affedions  and  vo- 
litions.     For  we  dH  when  we  love,  whether  we  ex- 
prefs  our  love  or  not.     And  we  a&,  when  we  hafef 
whether  we   exprefs  our  hatred  or  not.     There  is 
as  much  moral  agency  in  the  affeBions  of  the  heart, 
as  in  the  volitions  of  the  will.     The  heart  and  will 
are  elTentially   the   fame  ;  or  the  will  is  only  the 
heart  producing  external  effefts.     So  that  ftri6lly 
fpeaking,  all  iTicral  agency  belongs  to  the  heai't,  as' 
diftinguiflied  from  all  the  other  powers  and  facul- 
ties of  the  mind.     The  truth  of  this  we  all  know 
by  our  own  experience.     No  man  feels,  that  zny 
motion  of  body   or  m.ind  is  his   aBion,  unlefs  his 
heart  is  concerned  in  it.     If  bis  eye  or  head,  or 
T  T  hand. 


338  S    E    R    M    ON      XIV. 

hand,  or  foot,  fhould  move  wiihout  the  concur- 
rence of  his  heart,  he  would  not  call  that  motion 
his. action,  nor  feel  in  the  leaft  degree  accountable 
for  it.  ,  Or;  if  hi-s.intelieBual  powers  were  put  ia 
motion,  without  the  choice  of  his  heart,  he  would 
not  call  thofe  mental  motions  his  aBions,  nor  feel 
either  praife  or  blame  worthy  for  them.  No  ex- 
ercifes  of  body  or  mind  have  any  moral  quality, 
without  the  heart.  There  is  no  moral  good,  nor 
moral  evil  in  thoughts^  only  as  the  heart  approves 
or  difapproves  them.  There  is  no  moral  good,  nor 
moral  evil  in  words,  only  as  the  heart  approves  or 
difapproves  them.  There  is  no  moral  good  nor 
moral  evil  in  reading,  walking,  or  laboring,  only  as 
the  heart  approves  or  difapproves  thefe  external 
exertions.  The  reafon  is,  all  thoughts,  words,  and 
external  exertions,  are  not  aBions,  but  mere  wo- 
tion^i  without  the  heart.^  All  moral  agency  confifts 
ifl  the  heart.  With  the  heart  man  loves ;  with  the 
heart  man  hates;  with  the  heart  man  choofes  and 
rpfu fes ;  with  the  heart  man  believes  and  difbe- 
lieves  ;  and  with  the  heart  he  does  all  that  may  be 
called  his  aftion.  For  without  the  heart,  he  is  a 
mere  paffive  machine,  which  may  be  a8:ed  upon, 
but  which  cannot  aft.  And  on  this  ground  it  is, 
that  the  law  of  God  knows  the  heart  only,  requires 
the  heart  only,  and  forbids  the  heart  only.  "  My 
fon,  fays  God,  give  me  thine  heart."  And,  fays 
the  Apoftle,  "  If  there  be  firft  a  willing  mind,  it 

is 


SERMON       XIV.  339^ 

fs  accepted  according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not 
according  to  that  he  hath  not."  God  requires  and 
accepts  a  good  heart,  but  forbids  and  rejcfts  a  bad 
one.  The  heart  comprizes  all  that  he  requires  or 
forbids ;  becaufe  to  require  or  forbid  any  exercife 
or  aftion  without  the  heart,  would  be  the  fame  as 
to  require  or  forbid  an  aft  without  an  agent,  which 
is  palpably  abfurd.  Now  if  finners  always  a6l  from 
the  heart,  and  if  the  heart,  from  which  they  afl:, 
be  totally  depraved,  then  all  their  anions  muft  be 
totally  depraved.  If  there  be  no  flaw  in  any  link 
of  this  chain  of  reafoning,  and  if  one  link  be  iri' 
feparably  conneded  with  another;  then  it  muft 
bind  every  perfon  to  beiieve,  that  "  they  that  are 
in  -the  flcfh  cannot  pleafe  God." 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  wherein  their 
miftake  lies,  who  acknowledge  the  total  depravi- 
ty of  finners,  and  yet   deny  their  total  finfulnefs. 

Thofe,  who  run  into  this  inconfiftency,  have  ofr 
ten  been  refuted,  without  being  convinced.  But 
it  is  much  to  be  defired,  that  they  fliould  be  con- 
vinced as  well  as  refuted ;  and  if  the  fallacy  of 
their  reafoning  be  fairly  and  clearly  pointed  out, 
perhaps  they  will  be  convinced.  If  the  hearts  of 
finners  be  totally  depraved,  and  all  their  anions 
proceed  from  their  hearts,  then  all  their  a£lions 
muft  be  totally  depraved.     This  is  too  plain  to  b,e 

denied. 


540  SERMON    XIV. 

denied.  Thofe,  therefore,  M'ho  deny  that  total 
fmfalnefs  is  the  confequence  of  total  depravity, 
deny  that  all  the  adions  of  finners  proceed  from 
their  hearts.  And  were  this  true,  they  might  ac- 
knowledge total  depravity,  and  yet  deny  total  fin- 
fulnefs,  without  the  leaft  inconfiftency.  Accord- 
ingly we  find,  they  make  a  diftinftion  between  ac- 
tions, which  ilow  from  the  heart,  and  thofe,  which 
flow  from  reafon,  confcience,  or  natural  afFeQions, 
They  acknowledge,  the  heart  is  totally  depraved, 
and  all  the  aftions  which  proceed  from  it;  but  they 
deny  the  total  depravity  of  reafon,  confcience, 
and  natural  affc6lions,  and  therefore  deny,  that  the 
aBions,  which  proceed  from  thefe  innocent  prin- 
ciples, are  totally  finful.  They  fay,  finners  fome- 
times  aft  only  from  their  heart;  fometimes  only 
from  their  confcience ;  and  fometimes  only  from 
their  natural  afFe£lions.  And  when  they  a6t  only 
from  the  heart,  which  is  totally  corrupt,  then 
their  anions  are  entirely  finful.  But  when  they 
aO;  from  the  harmlefs  principles  of  reafon,  con- 
fcience, and  natural  affe6lions,  then  their  a6lions 
are  altogether  innocent  and  acceptable  to  God. 
Now  when  they  fay  this,  they  fay  fomething  of 
which  others  are  as  capable  of  judging,  as  them- 
felves. 

I  now  appeal  to  every  perfon,  whether  he  is 
ccnfcious  of  ever  afting  from  mere  reafon,  or  from 
fnere  confcience,  or  from  mere  natural  affeftions) 

xuiihout 


S    E    R     M    *0     N       XIV.  341 

without  the  heart,  I  prefume  no  perfon  can  fay, 
that  he  is  confcious  of  ever  afting  from  any  of  thefe 
natural  principles,  without  the  heart.  I  appeal  to 
every  perfon  again,  whether  he  25  confcious  of  ever 
afting  from  thefe  natural  principles,  contrary  to  the. 
heart,  I  prefume  no  perfon  can  fay,  that  he  is  con- 
Jcious  of  ever  a£ling  from  thefe  natural  principles, 
contrary  to  the  heart.  I  appeal  to  every  perfon 
once  more,  whether  he  is  not  confcious  of  often  a6l- 
ing  contrary  to  reafon,  contrary  to  confcience,  and 
contrary  to  natural  affeftions.  I  prefume  every 
perfon  can  fay,  that  he  is  confcious  of  often  a6ling 
contrary  to  all  thefe  natural  principles.  But  how 
can  thefe  be  principles  of  a^ion,  if  we  never  a8; 
from  them,  and  often  a£l  againfl  them  ?  The  heart 
is  a  principle  of  aftion,  and  therefore  we  cannot 
aft  againfl  it.  And  were  reafon,  confcience,  and 
natural  affeftions,  principles  of  a6lion,  we  could  no 
more  a6l  againfl  thefe,  than  againfl  the  heart. 
Hence  it  evidently  follows,  that  reafon,  confcience, 
and  natural  affeftions,  are  no  principles  of  aftion, 
but  only  motives  ofaftion.  It  is  acknowledged, 
that  they  often  operate  as  motives^  which  influence 
the  heart,  the  only  proper  principle  of  a6lion.  If 
reafon  diftate  to  a  man,  that  it  is  bell  to  be  tem- 
perate ;  his  reafon  is  not  the  principle  of  a6lion, 
but  his  hearty  which  a6ls  agreeably  to  the  motive 
fuggeiled  by  reafon.  If  confcience  diftate  to  a 
man,  that  it  is  his  duty  to  obferve  the  fabbath ;  his 

confcience 


34f  SERMON      XIV. 

confcience  is  not  tlic  principl«  of  aftion,  but  his 
hearty  which  a8;s  agreeably  to  the  motive  fugged- 
^d  by  confcience.  Or  if  natural  affeftion  cli6late 
to  a  man  to  give  a  beloved  child  the  largeft  por» 
don  of  his  inheritance;  his  natural  affeftion  is  not 
the  principle  of  a8ion,  but  his  hedvi,  which  a6ls  a- 
greeably  to  his  natural  affc6lion.  Now,  if  reafon, 
confcience,  and  natural  affeftion  be  not  principles 
of  atlion,  then  no  aftion  can  flow  from  them,  but 
every  a8ion  muft  flow  from  the  heart.  And  if 
all  a6lions  flow  from  the  heart,  then  either  all  the 
aftions  of  finners  are  totally  corrupt,  or  none  of 
them.  But  all,  who  acknowledge  the  total  deprav- 
ity of  finners,  allow  that  thofe  aftions  which  flow 
from  the  heart  are  totally  corrupt.  Since,  then, 
all  the  aflions  of  finners  do  in  fad  flow  from  the 
feeart,  and  can  flow  from  no  other  principle  '^  all, 
who  admit  the  do6lrine  of  total  depravity,  muft, 
in  order  to  be  confiftent,  acknowledge  that  all  the 
aClions  of  finners  are  totally  depraved.  If  they 
admit  the  Apoflle's  premifes,  they  muft  adopt  his 
conclufion,  that  they  that  are  in  the  flefli,  and  a6l 
entirely  from  a  carnal  heart,  cannot  pleafe  God. 
2.  If  it  be  a  truth,  that  finners  are  totally  deprav- 
ed, then  it  is  a  very  important  truth.  The  doc- 
trine of  total  depravity  holds  a  diftinguifned  place 
among  the  do8;rines  of  the  gofpcl.  It  lies  at  the 
foundation  of  fome   of  the   principal  articles  of 

chriftianity.     And  were  chriftians  agreed  in   this 

great 


SERMON      XIV. 


343 


great  truth,  they  would  foon  put  an  end  to  many 
of  their  religious  difputes.  They  would  no  long- 
er contend  about  the  character  and  conduft  of 
linnei-s.  They  would  no  longer  contend  a- 
bout  the  nature  and  neceffity  of  regeneration. 
They  would  no  longer  contend  about  common 
and  fpecial  grace.  They  would  no  longer 
contend  about  the  terms  of  juftification.  They 
would  no  longer  contend  about  the  proper  quali- 
fications for  communion  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
Nor  would  they  any  longer  contend  about  univer- 
fal  falvation.  For,  divine  fovereignty  in  the  dif- 
penfations  of  grace,  naturally  refults  from  the  doc- 
trine of  total  depravity.  So  that  total  depravity  is 
not  an  unmeaning  phrafe,  but  a  moft  folemn  and 
important  truth,  which  is  infeparably  connefted 
with  the  leading  and  fundamental  doBrines  of  the 
chriftian  religion. 

3.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  the 
total  depravity  of  finners  does  not  deftroy,  nor  di- 
minifh  their  obligation  to  obey  the  divine  com- 
mands. It  appears,  that  their  total  depravity  con- 
fiits  wholly  in  the  corruption  of  their  hearts.  Their 
intellectual  faculties  remain  uncorrupt.  Their 
perception,  reafon,  and  confcience,  are  in  their 
full  ftrength  and  vigor.  And  thefe  are  the  fole 
ground  of  moral  obligation.  To  him  that  know- 
eth  to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  fin. 
Satan  knows  to  do  good,  notwithftanding  the  to- 
tal corruption  of  his  heart,  and  therefore  he  is  un- 
der 


344  SERMON     XIV. 

der  the  fame  obligation  he  ever  was,  to  love  and 
obey  his  Maker.  And  fmce  the  total  depravity 
of  finners  does  not  deftroy  their  knowledge  of  da-^ 
ty,  it  does  not  deftroy  their  obligation  to  do  it. 
Moral  obligation  does  not  depend  in  the  leaft  de- 
gree upon  the  difpofition  of  the  hearts  Whether 
men  have  good  or  bad  hearts,  they  are  equally  o- 
bliged  to  love  and  ferve  their  Creator.  Accord- 
ingly God  never  makes  the  leaft  allowance  for  the 
corruption  of  their  hearts,  in  any  of  his  precepts 
and  prohibitions.  Though  he  knew,  that  the  If- 
raelites  in  general  were  totally  depraved,  when  he 
gave  the  law  at  Mount  Sinai;  yet  he  required 
them  to  love  him  with  all  their  heart,  with  all 
their  foul,  and  with  all  their  ftrength,  upon  pain  of 
eternal  deftruftion.  And  though  Ghrift  knew, 
that  the  Jews  were  of  their  father  the  devil,  and 
totally  depraved;  yet  he  required  them  to  be 
perfed  even  as  their  Father  in  heaven  is  per- 
feft.  The  divine  commands  fall  with  all  their 
weight  and  authority  upon  the  confciences  of  fin- 
ners. Their  depravity  of  heart  leftens  not  their 
obligation  to  obedience.  They  have  as  much  to 
do  as  other  men.  They  have  to  obey  all  the  com-, 
mands  in  the  Bible.  They  have  to  read,  and  pray, 
and  do  every  thing,  that  good  men  have  to  do* 
The  total  corruption  of  their  hearts  will  not  afford 
them  the  leaft  excufe  for  the  leaft  difafFedion  to 
God,  nor  for  the  leaft  difobedience  to  any  of  hi* 

commands. 

4.  We 


SERMON       XIV.  345 

4.  We  learn  from  has  been  been  faid,  why  God 
condemns  the  hejl  as  well  as  the  ivorjl  aQions  of  fin- 
ners.  Every  one  can  fee  a  reafon,  why  God  fhould 
condemn  their  open  vices  and  immoralities  ;  but 
many  can  fee  no  reafon  why  he  fhould  condemn 
their  apparent  love,  obedience,  and  devotion.  But 
W€  find  he  doesj  for  fome  reafon  or  other,  condemn 
their  be/l  as  well  as  their  worjl  aftions,  in  the  plain- 
eft  and  ilrongeft  terms.  "  The  facrifice  of  the 
wicked  is  an  abomination  to  the  Lord.  He  that 
turneth  away  bis  ear  from  hearing  the  law,  even 
his  prayer  fhall  be  abomination.  To  what  pur- 
pofe  is  the  multitude  of  your  facrifices  unto  me  ? 
faith  the  Lord.  I  am  full  of  the  burnt-offerings  of 
rams,  and  the  fat  of  fed  beafts;  and  I  delight  not 
in  the  blood  of  bullocks,  or  of  lambs,  o,r  of  he- 
goats.  I  hate,  I  defpife,  your  feaft-days,  and  I 
will  not  fmell  in  your  folemn  alfemblies.  Though 
you  offer  me  bur^t-offerings  and  your  meat-offer- 
ings, I  will  not  accept  them  ;  neither  will  I  regard 
the  peace-offerings  of  your  fat  beafls."  Such  fac- 
rifices, prayers,  and  religious  devotions  of  finners, 
may  be  confidered  as  their  bejl  performances ;  but 
thefe  God  exprefsly  fays  he  abhors  and  condemns- 
And  the  reafon  is  plain  and  obvious.  The  beft 
performances  of  finners  proceed  from  the  fame  to- 
tally corrupt  heart,  from  which  their  open  vices 
and  immoralities  proceed,  and  therefore  are  equal- 
ly corrupt  and  fmful.  When  finners  come  before 
U  u  God 


346  .    S  E    R    M    O    N    XIV. 

God  with  a  corrupt  heart,  they  come  at  their  per- 
il ;  for  God  tells  them,  that  he  never  required  them 
to  come  in  fuch  a  manner.  "  When  ye  come  to 
appear  before  me,  "johohaih  required  this  at  your  hand 
to  tread  my  courts  ?"  Yea,  he  forbids  them  to  come 
and  worfhip  him,  with  an  unfriendly  heart,  "  Bring 
no  more  vain  oblations;  incenfe  is  an  abomina- 
tion unto  me;  the  new  moons  and  fabbalhs,  the 
calling  of  affemblies  I  cannot  away  with  ;  it  is  ini- 
quitiy,  even  the  folemn  meeting,  Your  new  moons 
and  your  appointed  feafts  my  foul  hateth  :  they 
are  a  trouble  unto  me ;  I  am  weary  to  bear  them. 
And  when  ye  fpread  forth  your  bands,  I  will  hide 
mine  eyes  from  you  :  yea,  when  ye  make  many 
prayers,  I  will  not  hear."  God  looketh  not  on 
the  outward  appearance,  but  upon  the  heart.  He 
views  the  bell  actions  of  finners  as  flowing  from  a 
totally  corrupt  heart,  and  therefore  abhors  and 
condemns  them  as  altogether  criminal. 

^giii*  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  why 
none  of  the  works  of  finners  will  be  accepted,  at 
the  laft  day.  Our  Saviour,  who  will  be  the  final 
Judge,  has  abfolutely  declared,  that  he  will  con- 
demn all  finners  and  all  their  works,  without  dif- 
tinftion,  in  the  great  day  of  account.  And  though 
they  may  plead,  that  they  have  fed  the  hungry, 
clothed  the  naked,  vifited  the  fick,  and  done  ma- 
ny deeds  of  apparent  humanity  and  benevolence; 
yet  he  will  reje6t  and  punifii  theiHj  for  that  crimin- 
al 


SERMON      XIV.  34y 

al  felfifhnefs,  which  was  the  fource  of  all  their  a<:- 
tions.  And  this  will  be  a  fufficient  reafon  for  their 
everlafting  perdition.  If  the  hearts  of  all  (inners 
are  totally  depraved,  and  if  all  their  a6lions  proceed 
from  their  totally  corrupt  hearts ;  then  Chrift  may, 
with  the  greateft  propriety,  place  them  all  at  his 
left  hand,  and  condemn  all  their  aQions,  when  he 
comes  to  judge  the  world  in  righteoufnefs.  When 
the  fee  rets  of  ail  hearts  fhall  be  made  manifeil,  it 
will  appear,  that  the  finally  impenitent  never  had 
one  right  affedion,  nor  one  good  intention,  in  the 
whole  courfe  of  their  lives.  And  when  this  ap- 
pears, the  whole  univerfe  muft  approve  of  Chrift, 
in  dooming  them  all  to  endlefs  deftru6lion. 

6.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  why  the 
divine  law,  when  it  comes  ta  the  confcience,  re- 
vives the  guilt  and  deftroys  the  hope  of  every  {in- 
ner. Many  fmners  are  fo  ftricl  in  their  external 
COnduft,  and  fo  ierious  and  devout  in  their  reli- 
gious fervices,  that  they  not  only  pacify  their  con- 
fciences,  but  even  entertain  high  hopes  of  the  fav- 
or of  God  and  the  enjoyment  of  heaven.  But 
this  is  owing  to  their  ignorance  of  the  nature  and 
extent  of  the  divine  law,  and  of  the  total  corrup- 
tion of  their  hearts.  Whenever,  therefore,  the 
divine  lawisfet  home  upon  their  confciences, 
it  difcovers  the  enmity  of  their  hearts,  and  deftroys 
ail  their  hopes  of  heaven.  This  Paul  found  to 
be  the.  cafe  by  his  own  experience,     *'  I  was  alive 

without 


348  SERMON       XIV,  ^ 

without  the  law  once  :  but  when  the  command- 
ment came,  fm  revived,  and  I  died.  And  the 
commandment,  which  was  ordained  to  life,  I  found 
to  be  unto  death ;  For  fin  taking  occafion  by  the 
commandment  deceived  me,  and  by  it  flew  me.*'* 
Paul,  before  his  converfion,  was  a  man  of  a  fair 
moral  charaBer,  and  zealous  in  the  religion  of  his 
fed.  His  hopes  of  heaven  were  high,  and  he  had 
no  doubt  of  being  a  fincere  friend  to  God.  But 
when  the  commandment  came,  it  difcovered  his 
heart,  and  deftroyed  his  hopes  of  the  divine  favor. 
He  felt  himfelf  to  be  a  poor,  miferable,  guilty  fin- 
ncKsLHe  found  that  in  him,  that  is  in  his  carnal 
mind,  there  dwelt  no  good  thing.  He  was  fully 
convinced,  that  he  had  always  afted  from  a  carnal, 
felfiili  heart,  which  was  unfriendly  to  God,  and  which 
juftly  deferved  his  everlafting  difpleafure.  And  if 
it  be  true,  that  finners  always  a6t  from  a  carnal  heart, 
which  the  law  of  God  forbids;  then  the  law  of 
God,  when  it  comes  home  to  the  confcience,  muft 
neceffarily  condemn  them  for  all  their  thoughts, 
words,  and  a61ions.  And  when  they  feel  this 
conviBion,  there  is  nothing,  which  can  keep  them 
from  complete  defpair,  but  a  belief,  that  a  holy, 
gracious  and  fovereign  God  can  fubdue  their  en- 
mity and  fave  them,  in  fpite  of  their  hearts. 

7.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  it  is 
the  immediate  duty  of  finncrs  to  become  reconcil- 
ed 


SERMON       XIV.  349 

ed  to  God.  This  is  their  firft  and  mbft  important 
duty.  Their  reading  and  praying,  their  feeking 
and  ftriving,  and  every  thing  they  do,  will  be  dif*- 
pleafing  to  God,  until  they  become  heartily  recon- 
ciled to  his  holy  and  amiable  charafter.  God  is 
not  only  fupremely  glorious  and  excellent  in  M< 
own  nature ;  but  he  has  always  treated  finners 
with  the  greateft  kindnefs  and  tendernefs.  He 
has  never  faid  any  thing  in  his  word,  nor  done  any 
thing  in  his  providence,  which  has  ever  given 
them  any  juft  ground  for  their  difaffeftion.  And, 
therefore,  he  folemnly  calls  upon  them,  to  impeach 
a  fingle  inftance  of  his  conduft,  if  they  can.  '*  Hear 
ye  now  what  the  Lord  faith  :  Arife,  contend  thou 
before  the  mountains,  and  let  the  hills  hear  thy 
voice.  Hear  ye,  O  mountains,  the  Lord's  contro- 
verfy,  and  ye  flrong  foundations  of  the  earth:  for 
the  Lord  hath  a  controverfy  with  his  people,  aj^d 
he  will  plead  with  Ifrael.  O  my  people,  -wl^at 
have  I  done  unto  thee  ?  and  wherein  have  I  wea- 
ried thee  ?  Teftify  againft  me."  Since  fmners  have 
always  hated  God  without  a  caufe,  it  is  their  imToe- 
diate  duty  to  renounce  their  groundlefs  enmity, 
and  become  reconciled  to  their  kind  and  gracious 
Creator.  Hence  the  facred  teachers  unitedly  ex- 
hort them  to  immediate  holinefs  and  reconcilia- 
tion of  heart  to  God.  Ifaiah  fays,  "  Let  the  wick- 
ed forfake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  hh 

thoughts :; 


350  SERMON     XIV. 

thoughts  :  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and 
he  will  have  mercy  upon  him;  and  to  our  Qod, 
for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  Ezekiel  fays, 
*'  Caft  away  from  you  all  your  tranfgreffions  where- 
by ye  have  tranfgrelfed,  and  make  you  a  new  heart 
and  a  new  fpirit :  for  why  will  ye  die  ?"  And  the 
Apoftle  Paul  calls  upon  the  enemies  of  God,  in 
the  moft  folemn  and  endearing  manner,  to  become 
immediately  friendly  to  him.  "  Now  then  we  are 
embalfddors  for  Chrift,  as  though  God  did  be- 
feech  you  by  us :  we  pray  you  ^n  Chrill's  ftead. 
Be  ye  reconciled  to  God,''     An^en, 


SERMON 


-5^ 


SERMON     XV. 


irii 


On  the  fpecial  and  irrefiftible 
Grace  of  God  In  the  Con-  ' 
verfion  of  Sinners. 

Psalm  ex.  3. 
Thy  people  Jliall  he  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  potoer, 

X  HE  great  fcheme  of  our  redemption ' 
was  concerted,  by  tlie  facred  Trinity,  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world.     The  Father  and  Son'' 
mutually  agreed,  in  the  early  days  of  eternity,  to" 
perform  diftinft  parts,  in  carrying  into  executiori^ 
this  gracious  defign.    The  Son  engaged  to  become 
incarnate,  and  lay  down  his  life  in  the  room  of  fin-  ' 
ners.     And  the  Father  engaged  to  give  the  Son  a  ' 
certain  number  of  the  human  race,  as  a  reward  for 
his  fufferings  and  death.     It  is,  therefore,  in  refer-  " 
ence  to  this  original  covenant  between  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  that  the  former  fays  to  the  latter  in  ■ 

the 


352  S    E    R    M    O    N       XV. 

th6  text,  '•  Thy  people  fhall  be  willing  in  the  day 
©rihy  power."  Thefe  words  naturally  ^uggeft 
this  plain  truth  to  our  prefent  confideration  : 

That  God  is  able,  by  an  a6l  of  his  power,  to 
make  thofe  willing  to  be  faved,  whom  he  has  given 
to  Chrift. 

In  illuftraiing  this  fubje£t,  I  fhall  endeavor  to 
make  it  appear, 

I:  That  God  has  giv6n  a  certain  number  of  man- 
kind to  Chrift. 

II.  That  they  are  naturally  unwilling  to  be  faV- 
cd.     And  yet, 

III.  That  God  is  able,  by  an  a6l  of  his  power, 
to  make  them  willing. 

}u  I  am  to  make  it  appear,  that  God  has  given 
a  certain  number  of  mankirid  to  Chrift. 

The  evangelical  Prophet,  fpeakingofthe  fuffer- 
ing  Saviour,  exprefsly  declares,  "  It  pleafed  the 
L,ord  to  bruife  him ;  he  hath  put  him  to  grief:  when 
thou  fhalt  make  bis  foul  an  offering  for  fin,  heJJiallfee 
his  fecdf  he  fliall  prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleafure 
of  .ihe  Lord  Ihall  profper  in  his  hand.  Hejlialljee  of 
ike  iravcl-  of  /us  foul,  andJJiallbefaiisfied."  Agreeably 
to  thi3  and  to.  other  fimilar  promifes,  Chrifl  himfelf 
declares  in  the  tenth  of  John,  "  My  fheep  hear  my 
voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me  :  And 
1  give,  unto  them  eternal  life ;  and  they  Ihall  nev- 
er perifh,  neither  (hall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of 
my-  hand.    My  Father,  which  gave  them  me,  is  great- 


er 


SERMON       XV.  355 

er  than  all;  and  no  marf'is  able  to  pluck  them  out 
of  my  Father's  hand."  For  thefe,  in  dillinSlioa 
from  others,  Chrift  prays  in  particular,  juft  before 
his  death.  "  And  now,  O  Father,  glojify  thou  me 
with  thine  ov/n  felf,  with  the  glory  which  1  had 
with  thee  before  the  world  was.  I  have  manifeft- 
cd  thy  name  unto  the  men  whom  thou  gavejl  me 
out  of  the  world  :  thine  they  were,  and  thou  gave/l 
thcvi  me.  I  pray  for  them ;  I  pray  not  for  the 
world,  but  for  them  which  thou  hajl  given  me. 
Father,  I  will  that  they  alfo  whom  thou  hajl  given 
me  be  with  me  where  I  am."  This  portion  of  man- 
kind the  Apoftle  Paul  often  mentions,  under  va- 
rious appellations.  He  calls  them  the  fulnefs  of 
Chrift,  the  body  of  Chrift,  and  the  members  of  Chrift. 
He  reprefents  them  as  originally  predeftinated  to 
perfeft  holinefs  and  future  glory.  "  We  know, 
fays  he,  that  ail  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called 
according  to  his  purpofe.  For  whom  he  did  fore-v 
know,  he  alfo  did  predeftinate  to  be  conformed  to 
the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  firft-bora 
among  many  brethren.  Moreover,  whom  he  did 
predeftinate,  them  he  alfo  called  :  and  whom  he 
called,  them  he  alfo  juftified,  and  whom  he  jufti- 
lied,  them  he  alfo  glorified."  Such  is  the  united 
teftimony  of  the  infpired  writers,  that  the  Father 
hath  given  the  Son  a  certain  number  of  the  fallen 
race,  who  ftiall  be  made  holy  in  this  life,  and  hap- 
py in  the  next.     This  leads  me  to  fliow; 

W  v/  II.  That 


3^4  SERMON       XV. 

II.  That  tbefe  pcrfons,  like  the  reft  of  mankind, 
arc  naiurally  unwilling  to  be  laved. 

The  text  clcarlv  conveys  this  idea.  "  Thy  peo-. 
pie  ftiall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power."  This 
mode  of  exprcffion  plainly  inplies,  that  anteced- 
ent to  the  day  of  divine  power,  the  people  of  Chrill 
are  unwilling  to  be  laved.  And  this  will  mcie 
clearly  appear,  if  we  confider, 

1.  That  they  are  naturally  enemies  to  Chiift. 
They  are  reprefented  under  this  charafter  in  the 
context.  ''  The  Lord  (ciid  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou 
at  my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy 
footftool."  And  again,  «•  Rule  thou  in  the  midft" 
of  thine  ene7n{e>."  This  is  the  true  chaiacler  of  all 
finners,  without  exception.  Our  Saviour,  who 
was  perfe6lly  acquainted  with  the  hearts  of  the 
unregenerate,  plainly  told  them,  that  they  were 
ferpcnts,  a  generation  of  vipers,  and  the  children 
of  the  devil.  And  fpeaking  of  the  fame  perfons, 
to  whom  he  had  preached,  and  before  whofe  eyes 
lie  had  done  many  mighty  works,  he  fays,  "  Now 
have  they  both  I'een  and  hated  both  me  and  my  Fa- 
ther. But  this  Cometh  to  pafs,  that  the  word  might 
be  fulfilled  that  is  written  in  .their  law,  They  ha- 
ted me  without  a  ccjfe.''  The  ele6t,  as  well  as  the 
non-elefl,  naturally  poffefs  a  fpirit  of  oppofition 
to  Chrift;  and  fo  long  as  they  remain  enemies  to 
him,  they  fay  in  their  hearts,  «  We  will  not  have 
this  man  to  reign  over  us." 

2.    It 


S     K     R     M     O     N        XV.  355 

2.  It  appears  from  the  condufloF  finners  under 
the  gofpel,  that  they  are  unwilling  to  be  faved. 
When   Chrift  called  upon  them  to  come  to  him 
for  life,  they  foon  dilcovered  a  ftrong  difpofition 
to  reject  his  gracious   invitations.     This  led  him 
to  tell  them  in  plain  terms,  "Ye  will  not  come  to 
me,  that  ye  might  have  life."     And  he  foretold, 
in    the    parable  of  the  gofpel-feaft,   that    finners 
wouldj  in  time  to  come,  treat  the  offers  of  falva- 
tion,  with  the  fame  negleft  and  contempt.    "Then 
faid  he  unto  them,  a  certain  man  made  a  great  fup- 
per,  and  bade  many  :  And  fent  his  fervant  at  fup- 
per  time  to  fay  to  them  that  were  bidden.  Come; 
for  all  things  are  now  ready.     And  they  all  -with  one 
conjknt  began  to  makt  cxcj.fey     This  prcdiBion   has 
been  fulfilled  all  over  the   chriftian  world.     How 
many  thoufands  of  the  fallen  race  have  be^n  in- 
vited to  accept  of  falvation,  who  have  finally  refuf- 
cd  ?     And  where  has  one  been  found,  who  was 
naturally  willing,  to  fubmit  to  the  terms  of  life? 
Univerfal  experience  proves,  that  all  men  are  natr 
urally 'unwilling  to  believe  in   Chrift.       Though 
feme  finners  feem  to  be  more  friendly  to  the  gof- 
pel than  others;  yet  it  appears  from  the  conduct 
of  all,  that  they  are  naturally  and  equally  unwilling 
to  comply  with  the  terms  of  life.    They  do,  indeed, 
make  different  excufes  for  (lighting  the  gofpel; 
but  it  is  the  fame  evil  heart  of  unbelief,    which 
leads  them  to    rejeft  tbe  counfel  of  God  againfl 

them.felYes. 


355  SERMON    XV. 

themfelves.  The  three  t^oufand,  who  were,  coii' 
verted  on  the  day  of  Pentecoft,  were  as  heartily 
oppofed  to  Chrift,  before  their  converfion,  as  an^y, 
who  imbrued  their  hands  in  his  blood.  Paul  per- 
fifted  in  defpifing  and  oppofing  the  gofpel,  until 
his  heart  was  effeftually  fubdued,  by  an  atl  of  ir- 
refiftible  grace.  And  all,  who  are  now  the  friends 
of  Chrift.  were  once  his  real  enemies,  and  totally 
unwilling  to  embrace  the  offers  of  falvation.  Tiie 
eleft  are  no  better  by  nature,  than  the  non-ele6l^ 
and  were  they  left  to  themfelves^  they  would  final- 
ly refufe  to  be  faved,  and  perifli  in  their  fins  for- 
ever.    But  yet, 

III.  God  is  able,  by  an  a8;  of  his  power,  to 
make  them  willing  4o  accept  of  falvation.  Since 
this  is  a  point  of  great  importance,  in  the  prefent 
difcourfe,  I  fliall  endeavor  to  efl;abli,fii  it,  by  a 
numbef  of  plain  and  conclufive  arguments. 

1.  God  has  promifed  to  make  thofe  willing  19 
be  faved,  whom  he  has  given  to  Chrift.  "  Thy 
people  fliall  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power." 
The  thing  here  proraifed  is  to  be  performed  by 
the  Father,  though  it  feeras  to  be  afcribed  to  the 
Son.  Any  divine  work  may  be  afcfibed  to  either 
perfon  in  tlie  Xacred  Trinity.  Accordingly  we 
find  ijj  Scripi,urp,  that  the  renovation  of  the  hear4: 
is  fonietimes  ,aft:ribed  to  the  Father,  fometjmes  to 
the.Son,  and  fometimes  to  the  Holy  Ghoft,  In  the 
textj  the  Fatl^jr  js  f|(eaking,  ar>d  ilier^fore  lie  muk 

be 


$  /E  R  M  O    N      XV.-  357 

be  the  perfon  promifing  to  make  Chrift's  people 
willing,  in  the  day  of  his  power.  And  this  fur- 
ther appears  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  text,  from 
the  preceding  words.  "  The  Lord  faid  unto  my 
Lord,  Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand,  until  I  make 
thine  enemies  thy  footftool."  At  another  lime, 
God  the  Faxher  promifed  to  fubdue  the  hearts  of 
finners,  among  his  own  .people.  "  A  new  heart 
alfo  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  fpirit  I  will  put 
within  you  ;  and  I  will  take  away  the  flony  heart 
out  of  your  flefli,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of 
flefli,  and  cauje  you  to  walk  in  my  ftatutes."  Alfo 
by  the  Prophet  Joel,  God  promifed  to  pour  out 
his  fpirit,  in  the  lail  days,  upon  all  flefh,  and  bring 
them  to  a  cordial  reception  of  the  peculiar  blef- 
fings  of  the  gofpel.  Now,  can  we  fuppofe,  that 
God  would  thus  exprefsly  promife  to  make 
men  willing  to  be  faved,  unlefs  he  were  able  to 
bow  tlieir  wills,  by.  an  aft  of  his  power  ?  Would 
it  be  confiftent  with  his  holinefs  and  truth,  to  pro- 
mife to  fubdue  the  hearts  of  finners,  at  a  certain 
time  and  in  a  certain  piace,  if  he  knew  this  to  be 
an  effefl  above  his  power  to  produce  ?  Unlefs  he 
had  the  fupreme  control  over  the  hearts  of  men, 
we  may  prefume,  he  would  never  have  promifed 
to  make  his  own  and  his  Son's  enemies  willing  to 
be  faved,  in  the  day  of  his  power.  Hence  all  his 
promifes  to  renew  the  hearts  of  finners,  are  fo  ma- 
ny proofs  of  his  power  to-  produce  this  faving 
change,  2.  God 


Ss8  SERMON      XV. 

2.  God  has-'aftually  foftened  the  hearts  of  the 
moil  hardened  ami  obftinate  finfiers.  As  he  prom- 
ifed  to  change  the  hearts  of  finners  in  Babylon,  fo 
he  pun^lually  fulfilled  his  promife.  He  poured  out 
his  fpirit  upon  them,  and  railed  them  from  fpiritual 
death  to  fpiritual  life.  He  took  away  their  hard 
and  ftony  hearts,  and  gave  them  hearts  of  flefh. 
Though  they  had  long  repined  at  the  ways  of  his 
providence ;  yet  he  brought  them  to  a  cheerful 
fubmiffion  to  his  fovereignty.  Nor  was  he  lefs 
faithful  to  fulfil  the  promife  made  to  Chrift  in  the 
texti  At  the  time  appointed,  which  was  the  day  of 
Pentecoft,  he  laid  three  thoufand  of  his  enemies  at 
his  footftool.  This  the  Apoftle  Peter  declares  to 
be  a  fulfilment  of  the  promife  contained  in  the  text 
and  context,  which  he  quotes  and  explains,  on  that 
great  occafion.  ^«  Therefore  Jefus  being  by  the 
right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having  received 
of  the  Father  the  promife  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  he 
hath  fhed  forth  this  which  you  now  fee  and  hear  s 
For  David  is  not  afcended  into  the  heavens :  but 
faith  himfelf.  The  Lord  faid  unto  my  Lord,  Sit 
thou  at  my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies 
thy  footftool."  When  Peter  preached  to  Cornelius 
and  to  thofe  at  his  houfe,  God  poured  out  his  fpirit 
upon  them,  and  ^' gave  them  repentance  untolife.'^ 
God  opened  the  heart  of  Lydia,  and  made  her 
willing  to  embrace  the  gofpel  preached  by  Paul. 
And  before  this,  he  made  a  ftjli  more  fignal  dif- 

play 


SERMON      XV.  359 

play  of  irrefiftible  grace,  in  the  coi-jverfion  of  Paul 
himfelf.  He  was  a  blafphemer  and  perfecutor. 
He  determined  to  refift  all  means  and  motives  to 
converfion.  And  he  felt  fuperior  to  any  divine 
influence.  But  the  King  eternal,  invifible,  and 
omnipotent,  was  able  to  lay  him  proftrate  at  the 
feet  of  that  Jefusj  whom  he  had  defpifed  and  per- 
fecuted.  Thefe,  and  many  other  inftances  of  con- 
verfion, which  are  recorded  in  the  Bible,  deraon- 
flrate  the  power  of  God  to  make  men  willing  to 
be  faved. 

3.    The  Scripture  reprefents  God,  as  not  only 
making  men  willing  to  be  faved,  but  as  making 
them  willing,  by  an  aft  of  his  power.    Paul  fpeak- 
ing  of  himfelf  aqd  of  other  chriftians,  who  were 
prepared  for  heaven,    fays,    "  Now  he  that  hath 
wrought   us  for  the  felf  fame   thing  is  God."     He 
inculcates  the  fame  fentiment  upon  the  minds  of 
the  faints  of  Ephefus.    "  That  ye  may  know  what  is 
the  hope  of  your  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of 
the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  faints,  and  what 
the  exceeding  greatnefs  of  his  power  to  us-ward  who 
believe,  according  to  the  working  of   his  mighty 
power  ;  which  he  wrought  in  Chrift  Jefus  when  he 
raifed  him  from  the  dead."     And  in  the  next  chap- 
ter he  goes  on  to  fay,  "  You  hath  he  quickened,  who 
were  dead  in  trefpaffes  and  fins.     Even  when  we 
were  dead  in  fins,  hath  he  quickened  us  together 
with  Chrift.     For  we  are  as  his  wQxhnanJhip^  crea- 

ied 


36d  SERMON     XV. 

ted  in  Cbriil  JefUs  unto  good  works^  which  he 
hath  foreordained  that  we  fhould  walic  in  them." 
In  one  place  he  fays,  "If  any  man  be  in  Ghrift, 
he  is  a  new  creature  :  old  things  are  paffedaway; 
Behold"  all  things  '<2re  become  new,''  This  he  ex- 
plains, in  the  next"  words,  to  be  God's  making  men 
willing  to  be  faved.  And  all  things'  are  of  God^ 
who  hath  reconciled' us  to  himfelf  by  Jefiis  Chrift." 
Fit  another  place  he  fays,  '« In  Chrift  Jefiis  neither 
cifcumcifion  availeth  any  thing  nor  uncircumcif- 
ion,  but  a  netv  creature."  Furthermore,  he  repre- 
fents  God  as  beginning  and  carrying  on  a  work  of 
grace,  by  a  powerful  operation  on  the  minds  of  men. 
To  the  Philippians  be  lays,  "Being  confident  of 
this  very  thing,  that  he  who  hath  begun  z.  good  work 
in  you,  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jefus  Chrift." 
And  in  the  next  chapter  he  fays  again,  "Work 
out  your  own  falvation  with  fear  and  trembling. 
For  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  good  pleafure."  And  for  this  gracious 
and  powerful  operation  on  the  hearts  of  believers, 
he  prays  in  the  thirteenth  of  Hebrews :  "  Now 
the  God  of  peace  make  you  perfe6l  to  do  his  will, 
workingin  you  that  which  is  well  pleafing  in  his 
fight."  According  to  thef6  and  many  other  pafTa- 
ges  of  Scripture,  God  makes  men  willing  to  be  fav- 
ed  by  an  a6l  of  his  power.  He  not  only  addrefles 
tlreir  eyes  and  ears,  by  external  objefts,  and  their 
undeilUndings  and  confciences,  by  morarmotives  j 

but 


SERMON      XV.  361 

but  lie  a6lually  operates  upon  their  hearts,  and 
there  produces  new  feelings  or  afiPeQions,  by  the 
fame  almighty  power,  which  he  exerted  in  creat- 
ing the  world,  and  in  raifing  Chrift  from  the  dead. 
Nothing  fliort  of  this  can  be  meant,  by  his  raifing 
iften  to  fpiritual  life,  making  them  nro)  creatures^ 
and  -working  hi  them  that  which  is  well  pleafing  in 
his  fight.  To  explain  away  fuch  expreffions,  and 
make  them  mean  moral  fuafion  only,  is  to  do  vio- 
lence to  Scripture,  and  wreft  it  in  fuch  a  manner, 
as  to  deftroy  at  once  both  its  meaning  and  ufeful- 
nefs. 

4.  The  Scripture  reprefents  God  as  making  men 
willing  to  be  faved,  by  an  a6l  of  his  power,  in  dif- 
tinBion  from  all  other  ways  of  producing  this  cf- 
fe6l.  To  this  purpofe,  is  that  noted  paffage  in  the 
firft  of  John.  "  He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his 
own  received  him  not.  But  as  many  as  received 
him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  fons 
of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name  : 
Which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of 
the  flefh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.''  Here 
the  renovation  of  the  heart  is  afcribed  to  a  divine 
operation,  in  diftinftion  from  all  other  means  or 
fecond  caufes.  A  like  reprefcntation  we  find  in 
the  ninth  of  Romans.  "  For  he  faith  to  Mofes, 
I  will  have  raercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy, 
and  I  will  have  compaffion  on  whom  I  will  have 
compaffion.  So  then  it  is  not  of  hirn  that  zvilleth, 
X   X  nor 


362  SERMON       XV/ 

nor  of  him  that  runneth^  but  of  God  that  fheweth 
mercy."  The  Apollle's  words,  in  his  firft  epillle 
to  the  Corinthians,  are  flill  more  expreflive  and 
de;/initive  on  this  point.  "  I  have  planted,  Apol- 
las  watered  ;  but  God  gave  the  increafe.  So  then,- 
neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  thing,  neither  he 
that  watereth  ;  but  God  that  giveth  the  increafe."  He 
adds,  *'  Ye  are  God's  hufbandry,  ye  are  God's  build- 
ing." The  infpired  writers  all  fpeak  the  fame  lan- 
guage upon  this  fubjeB;.  They  totally  exclude 
men  and  means  in  the  converfion  of  finners,  and 
afcribe  the  produ8.ion  of  this  efFc6l  to  the  imme- 
diate power  of  the  Deity.     I  m^y  add, 

5,  It  appears  from  univerfal  obfervatton  and 
experience,  that  nothing  fhort  of  a  divine  opera- 
tion upon  the  hearts  of  finners,  is  fufficient  to 
draw  them  to  Chrift.  Some  fuppofe,  there  are 
various  ways,  in  which  God  can  make  finners  wil- 
jing  to  be  faved,  without  any  immediate  operation 
upon  their  hearts.  But  it  appears  from  faB,  that 
this  is  the  only  way,  in  which  even  Omnipotence 
can  bring  them  to  a  cordial  compliance  with  the 
gofpel. 

For  in  the  firft  place,  God  cannot  make  them 
willing  to  be, faved,  by  giving  them  a  fenfe  of  guilt. 
He  may  awaken  their  confciences,  and  fet  their  fins 
in  order  before  them,  and  make  them  feel,  that  they 
jnftlv  deferve  his  wrath  and   curfe,  both  in  this  life 

and 


SERMON       XV.  363 

and  in  that  which  is  to  come.  But  will  fach  a  fenfe  of 
criminaliiy  and  ill  defert,  reconcile  them  to  the  way 
of  falvation  by  Chrift  ?  There  is  no  neccffary  con- 
iie6lion  between  convi6lion  and  converfion.  Thofe 
under  convitlion  have  often  expreffed  their  fen- 
fible  and  violent  oppofition  to  God,  to  Chrift, 
and  even  to  heaven  itfelf.  Their  fenfe  of  guilt, 
inftead  of  diminifhing,  greatly  increafed  the  na- 
tive enmity  of  their  hearts  againft  every  thing  ho- 
ly and  divine.  It  will  be  univcrfally  allowed, 
that  the  hearts  of  the  damned  grow  worfe  and 
worfe  under  conviflion.  And  from  this  we  may 
conclude,  that  fliould  God  give  finners,  in  this 
world,  as  great  a  fenfe  of  guilt  as  the  damned  acl- 
ually  feel,  it  would  dire611y  tend  to  harden, 'in- 
ftead of  foftening  their  hearts.  It  does  not  ap- 
pear poffible,  therefore,  that  God  fiiould  change 
the  hearts  of  fmners,  by  giving  them  a  fenfe  of 
guilt. 

Nor  docs  it  appear  pofiible,  that  he  Ihould 
make  them  williiig  to  be  faved,  by  giving  them  a 
fenfe  of  danger.  He  often  does  give  them  as  great 
a  fenfe  of  danger  as  of  guilt.  He  often  uncovers 
deftru6tion  before  them,  and  makes  them  feel  from 
day  to  day,  that  they  are  conftanily  expofed  to 
drop  into-  the  bottomlefs  pit.  Though,  in  this 
fttuation,  they  anxioufly  delire  to  efcape  the  danv 
nation  of  hell ;  yet  they  have  no  difpofition  to  re- 
pent and    believe  the  gofpel.     But  on  the  other 

hand,. 


g64  SERMON       Xy. 

hand,  the  more  clearly  God  fhows  them,  that  he 
is  able  and  difpofed  to  punifli  them  acgording  to 
their  deferts,  the  more  vigoroufly  d^rn^  feufibly 
they  oppofe  his  holy  and  amiable  fovereignty. 
And  furely  God  cannot  deftroy  the  enmity  of 
their  hearts,  by  that  fenfe  of  danger,  which  dire£l- 
]y  tends  to  increafe  it. 

Npr,  in  the  lad  place,   can  he  make  them  wil- 
ling to  be  faved,  by  giving  them  a  fenfe  of  the 
worth  of  their  fouls,  and  the  importance  of  eter- 
nal happinefs.     He  always  gives  them  a  fenfe  of 
thefe  things,  when  he  av;akens  their  confciences 
to  feel  their  guilt,  and  opens  their  eyes  to  fee  their 
danger.     Awakened  and  convinced  finners  look 
upon  the   happinefs  of  this  life,   as  lefs  than   no- 
thing and  vanity,  in  comparifon  with  future  and 
eternal  felicity.     They  view  faints  as  the  only  hap- 
py perfons,  and  would  give  all  the  world,  if  they 
had  it  in  their  power,  to  gain  an  intereft  in  Chrift, 
and  be  in  the  fituation  of  thofe,  who  are  rejoic- 
ing in  the   hopes  of  heaven.     But  thefe  feelings 
have  no   tendency  to  deftroy  the  enmity  of  their 
hearts  againft   God,   and   prepare   them   for  holy 
and  heavenly   enjoyments.      Could  the   gates   of 
heaven  be  fct  open,  and  could  they  be  allowed  to 
ftep  in  among   the   fpirits  of  juft  men   made  per- 
fect, they  would  choofe  to  take  up  their  everlaft- 
ing   refidence    among   finful,    rather   than  among 
perfe6t!y  holy  beings.     Thus  it  appears  to  be  out 

qf 


SERMON       XV.  365 

of  the  power  of  the  Deity,  to  convert  finners 
by  moral  fuafion.  All,  that  he  can  do  in  this  way,^ 
is,  to  give  them  a  realizing  fenfe  of  their  guilt,  of 
their  danger,  and  of  the  worth  of  their  fouls  ;  but 
the  mod  lively  fenfe  of  thefe  things,  has  no  tend- 
ency to  change  their  hearts.  If  God  can,  there- 
fore, fulfil  his  promife  to  Chrift,  and  make  his  peo- 
ple willing  to  be  faved;  he  muft  be  able  to  flay  the 
enmity  of  their  hearts,  and  reconcile  them  to  the 
terms  of  life,  by  an  a6l  of  his  power. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.    If  God  does,  by  an  a6l  of  his  power,  make 
men  willing^  to  be  faved  ;  then  there  is  an  eflential 
diftin6lion    between   common   and    fpecial   grace. 
Many  imagine,  there  is  only  a  gradual  or  circum- 
ftantial  difference  between  one  a6l  of  divine  grace 
and  another.     They  fuppofe  regeneration  or  con- 
verfion  is  a  gradual'  change,  and  effefted  entire- 
ly by  clear  and  repeated  exhibitions  of  divine  truth 
\fi  the  view  of  finners.    Such  moral  fuafion  would 
indeed  reconcile  them  to  Chrift,  if  all  their  oppo- 
fitioH  to  him  originated  in  the  weaknefs  or  blind- 
nefs  of  their  underftanding.     The  bare  exhibition 
of  divine  truth  is  abundantly  fufficient  to  remove 
natural   ignorance  and    intelleftual    errors.      But 
fince  finners  are  unwilling  to  be  faved,  when  they 
fee  their  danger  and  feel  their  guilt,  and  when  the 
way  of  falvation  by  Chrift  is  clearly  pointed  out; 

no 


266  SERMON    XV. 

no  moral  fuafion  or  obje6live  light  can  have  the 
leaft  tendency  to  make  them  willing.  Though  the 
gradual  exhibition  of  objeftive  light  may  gradual- 
ly expel  the  darknefs  of  their  underftanding ;  yet 
nothing  can  remove  their  perverfe  oppofition  to 
light  itfelf,  but  the  inftantaneous  and  powerful  op- 
eration of  the  divine  Spirit  upon  their  hearts. 
This  divine  operation,  therefore,  is  fpecial  grace> 
and  differs  from  common  grace,  in  two  refpeds. 

In  the  firft  place,  it  makes  men  v;ilUng  to  be  fav-, 
ed.  Common  grace  never  produces  this  eifeQ:.  By 
common  grace,  God  invites  and  commands  men 
to  accept  of  falvation,  .and  makes  them  feel  their 
obligation  to  fubmit  to  the  terms  of  life.  Buc 
by  fpecial  grace,  God  aflually  inclines  their  hearts 
to  embrace  Jefus  Chrill  freely  offered  to  them  in 
the  gofpel,  God  ufually  exercifes  common  grace 
toward  finners,  long  before  he  makes  tberp  the 
fubjefts  of  fpecial  grace.  He  often  employs  <?ve- 
ry  mode  of  moral  fuafion,  for  a  great  while,  be- 
fore he  puts  forth  an  a8:  of  his  power  to  make 
them  willing  to  be  faved.  This  appears  in  the  cafe 
of  Manaffah,  of  Saul  of  Tarfus,  and  of  many  oth- 
ers, who  have  been  converted  late  in  life.  The 
higheft  degree  of  common  grace  leaves  men  im- 
•ioilliug  to  be  faved;  but  the  loweft  degree  of  fpe- 
cial grace  makes  them  zvilUng,  In  this  refpeft,. 
tommoii  and  fpecial  grace  effentially  differ.  And 
fo  they  do  in  another  refpecl. 

For, 


SERMON,    XV.  367 

ftrsFor,  in  (he  fecond  place,  common  grace  is  grant- 
ed to  all,  who  enjoy  the  light  of  the  gofpel,  while 
fpecial  grace  is  granted  to  none  but  the  eleft.  God 
makes  none  willing  to  be  faved  but  thofe  whom  he 
has  given  to  Chrift.  He  invites  and  commands 
others  to  embrace  the  gofpel,  and  fometimes  awak- 
kens  them  to  a  lively  fenfe  of  their  danger  and 
guilt;  but  yet  he  never  puts  forth  an  a6l  of  his 
power,  to  fubdue  their  hearts  and  reconcile  them 
to  Chrift.  Hence  that  a6l  of  his  power,  by  which 
he  makes  men  willing  to  be  faved,  is  properly  an 
ad  of  fpecial  grace,  and  eflentially  different  from 
any  a8:  of  kindnefs,  favor,  or  affiftance,  which  he 
beftows  upon  any,  who  are  finally  loft. 

.  2.  If  God's  making  men  willing  to  be  faved  by 
an  a£l  of  his  power  be  an  a6l  of  fpecial  grace  ; 
then  fpecial  grace  is  always  irrefiftible.  It  is  the 
general  reprefentation  of  Scripture,  that  common 
grace  may  be  refifted.  God  often  complains  of 
finnersj.for  refifting  the  calls  and  invitations  of  his 
common  grace.  *'  I  have  called,  and  ye  refufed  ; 
I  have  ftretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regard- 
ed ;  but  ye  have  fet  at  nought  all  my  counfel,  and 
would  none  of  my  reproof."  Zechariah  fays, 
"  They  refufed  to  hearken,  and  pulled  away  the 
fhoulder,  and  ftopped  their  ears,  that  they  fhould 
not  hear.  Yea,  they  made  their  hearts  as  an  ada- 
mant-ftone,  left  they  fhould  hear  the  law,  and  the 
words  which  the  Lord  of  hofts  hath  fent  in  his 

Spirit 


o 


68  SERMON     XV. 


Spirit  by  the  the  former  prophets."  Chrifl;  reproves 
finners,  for  refifting  the  power  and  influence  of 
common  grace.  "  O  Jerufalem,  Jerufalem,  thou 
that  killeft  the  prophets,  and  ftoneft  them  which 
are  fent  unto  thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gather- 
ed thy  children  together  even  as  a  hen  gathereth 
her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ^e  -would  not'* 
And  Stephen,  in  his  dying  addrefs  to  finners  in  Je- 
rufalem, plainly  tells  them,  "  Ye  ftiff-necked,  and 
uncircumcifed  in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do  always  refijl 
the  Holy  Ghojl :  as  your  fathers  did,  fo  do  ye."  Sin- 
ners are  able  to  refift  all  the  obje6live  light  afford- 
ed them,  and  all  the  external  means  ufed  with  them, 
to  bring  them  to  repentance.  The  reafon  is,  all 
thefe  means  of  light  and  conviftion  leave  them  in 
ihe  full  poffeffiou  of  their  evil  hearts  of  unbelief. 
And  fo  long  as  the  enmity  of  their  hearts  remains, 
they  are  able  to  refift  all  the  force  of  moral  fua- 
lion  or  common  grace.  But  when  God  difplays 
h'i%  fpecial  grace  upon  them,  he  takes  away  the  en- 
mity of  their  hearts,  and  removes  the  primary 
caufe  of  refiftance.  In  the  day  of  his  power,  he 
makes  them  willing  to  come  to  Chrift  for  life;  and 
when  they  are  willing  to  come,  there  is  nothing  to 
prevent  their  coming.  No  fmner  ever  was,  or  ever 
will  be  unwilling  to  be  faved,  in  the  day  of  God's 
power.  Thofe,  whom  God  calls  by  his  fpecial 
grace,  are  morally  obliged  to  come  in  and  partake 
of  the  gofpel  feafl.  Hence  divines  have  ufually 
tcroicd  this  a6l  of  fpecial  grace,  effeBital  calling. 

3.  If 


S    £     R     M    O     N      XV.  369 

3.  If  God  can  make  men  willing  to  be  faved 
by  an  a6l  of  his  power,  and  if  this  aft  of  his  pow- 
er be  fpecial  grace ;  then  fpecial  grace  is  as  con- 
fiftent  with  free  agency  as  common  grace.  The 
only  reafon,  why  common  grace  is  univerfally  fup- 
pofed  to  be  confiftent  with  free  agency  is,  becaufe 
it  leaves  men  free  to  choofe  and  refufe,  or  to  a6l 
jiift;  as  they  pleafe.  While  they  are  the  fubjefts  of 
common  grace  only,  they  feel  themfelves  at  per- 
fe6t  liberty,  to  choofe,  or  refufe  obedience  to  the 
will  of  God.  They  can  choofe  to  read,  or  they 
can  refufe  to  read;  they  can  choofe  to  pray,  or 
they  can  refufe  to  pray ;  they  can  choofe  to  at- 
tend public  worfhip,  or  they  can  refufe  to  attend  ; 
they  can  choofe  to  perform  all  the  externals  of  re- 
ligion, or  they  can  refufe  to  perform  any  religious 
duty.  But  if  men  are  perfeftly  free  under  the  in- 
fluence of  common  grace,  becaufe  they  are  capa- 
ble of  chooling  and  refufing ;  then  for  the  fame 
reafon,  they  muft  be  equally  free  under  the  influ- 
ence of  fpecial  grace.  For  fpecial  grace  eflen- 
tially  confifts  in  making  men  willing  to  do  their* 
duty.  By  fpecial  grace,  God  makes  men  choofe 
to  fubmit  to  Chrift,  and  refufe  to  oppofe  him ; 
choofe  to  pray,  and  refufe  to  negleft  it;  choofe 
to  attend  public  worfiiip,  and  refufe  to  negleft  it; 
choofe  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  wifdom,  and  re- 
fufe to  walk  in  the  paths  of  the  deftroyer.  If 
this  be  a  juft  reprefentation  of  the  influence  of 
Y  Y  foeciai 


370        ,  SERMON     XV. 

fpecial  grace,  then  it  is  certainly  as  confiftent  with- 
free  agency  as  common  grace.  It  is  true,  indeed, 
if  fpecial  grace  confifted,  as  fome  fuppofe,  in  giv- 
ing men  a  new  principle^  faculty,  or  power,  of  choof- 
ing;  then  it  would  deftroy  their  free  agency,  and 
make  them  entirely  paflive  in  regeneration  and 
fanftification.  But  if,  in  every  ad  of  fpecial 
grace,  God  does  nothing  more,  than  make  men 
willing  to  do  their  duty,  or  to  choofe  and  re- 
fufe  in  a  holy  and  virtuous  manner;  then  it  i& 
hard  to  conceive  how  fpecial  grace  does,  in  the 
leafl:  degree,  infringe  upon  free  agency.  It  is  a 
diftate  of  common  fenfe,  that  whatever  makes 
men  choofe  or  refufe,  is  confiftent  with  their  lib- 
erty; and  whatever  pbftruQs  or  hinders  thenv 
from  choofing  and  refufing,  deftroys  their  free- 
dom. If,  therefore,  either  common  or  fpecial 
grace  deprived  men  of  the  power  of  chooling  and 
refufing,  it  would  deftroy  their  free  agency.  But 
lince  neither  common  nor  fpecial  grace  does  take 
away  this  power,  it  is  evident,  that  neither  com- 
mon nor  fpecial  grace  is  repugnant  to  the  freedom, 
of  the  will.  Indeed,  we  do  not  hefitate  to  fay, 
that  all,  who  have  been  the  fubjefts  of  fpecial 
grace,  know  by  their  ov»rn  experience,  that  they 
have  felt  as  entirely  free  and  voluntary,  in  a6ling 
under  theinfluence  of  fpecial  grace,  as  ever  they  did 
in  afting  under  the  influence  of  common  grace. 
4.  If  God  can  make  men  willing  to  be  faved, 
by  an  aft  of  his  power ;  then  there  is  a  plain  con 

fiftency 


SERMON      XV.  371 

liftency  running  through  the  whole  fcheme  of 
Calvinirni.  The  fundamental  doftrines  of  this 
fyftem  of  divinity  are  eleftion,  total  depravity, 
inftantaneous  regeneration,  and  the  final  perfe- 
verence  of  the  faints.  If  the  leading  fentiment 
in  this  difcourfe  be  true,  then  all  thefe  do6lrines 
are  entirely  confiltent. 

It  is  eafy  to  fee  the  confiftency  of  God's  choof- 
jng  a  certain  number  of  mankind  to  eternal  life; 
if  he  be  able,  by  an  a6l  of  his  power,  to  make  that 
certain  number  willing  to  be  faved.  Upon  thisj 
and  upon  no  other  ground,  the  doftrine  of  elec- 
tion appears  to  harmonize  with  the  chara6ler  of 
God  and  the  freedom  of  the  creature. 

It  is  eafy  to  fee  the  confiftency  of  God's  deter- 
mining the  fall  of  man,  and  the  total  corruption  of 
all  his  pofterity ;  if  he  be  able,  by  an  a6l  of  his 
power,  to  remove  their  depravity.  Though  to- 
tal depravity  does  render  men  unyielding  to  the 
exhibition  of  truth,  and  all  the  influence  of  moral 
fuafion ;  yet  it  does  not  put  them  beyond  the 
reach  of  fpecial  grace,  which  is  in  its  own  nature 
irrefiftible.  Hence  God  forefaw  no  hazard  to  his 
gracious  defign,  from  the  total  enmity  of  the  hu- 
man heart,  wh^v:h  he  knew  he  was  able  to  flay,  by  an 
a6l  of  his  power,  whenever  he  pleafed. 

It  is  eafy  to  fee  the  intimate  connexion  between 
the  do6lrine  of  total  depravity,  and  that  of  inftan- 
taneous   regeneration.      If  fpecial  grace  confifts 

in 


372  S    E    R     M     O     N       XV. 

in  an  a6l  of  God's  power,  by  which  he  makes  total- 
ly depraved  finners  willing  to  be  faved;  then  re- 
generation  muft  be  an  inftantaneous  and  not  a 
gradual  change.  There  is  no  medium  between 
men's  being  unwilling  and  willing  to  be  faved ; 
they  muft  remain,  therefore,  totally  unwilling  to 
be  faved,  until  the  moment  they  are  made  willing, 
by  an  inftantaneous  aft  of  divine  power.  In  re- 
generation, converfion,  or  the  new  creation,  God 
a6ls  as  inftantaneoufly  as  he  did,  when  he  faid, 
^'  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light."  This 
muft  neceffarily  be  the  cafe,  if  men  are  totally 
depraved,  and  nothing  fliort  of  an  irrefiftible  aft 
of  divine  power  can  remove  their  total  depravity. 
It  is  furthermore  eafy  to  fee,  that  the  final  pe-r- 
feverance  of  faints  is  a  doftrine  infeparably  con- 
nefted  with  the  o>tber  doftrines  of  Calvinifm.  The 
fame  Almighty  Agent,  who  from  eternity  deter- 
mined to  renew  and  fanftify  the  eleft,  can  as  eafi- 
}y  carry  on,  as  he  could  begin,  a  good  work  in 
their  hearts.  And,  the  fame  divine  purpofe,  which 
required  their  regeneration,  equally  requires  their 
continued  fanftification,  or  final  perfeverance  in 
holinefs.  Hence  there  is  a  moral  impoffibility  of 
their  finally  falling  away,  or  milling  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  Thus  it  is  eafy  to  fee,  in  the- 
light  of  this  fubjeft,  that  the  effential  and  funda- 
memal  principles  of  the  Calviniftic  fyftem,  are 
not  only  confiftent  with  each  other,  but  perfeftly 

harmonize 


S  i:   R   M    O   N      XV.  373 

harmonize  with  the  charaQer  and  perfe8:ions  of 
the  Deity,  and  with  the  charaQer  and  nature  of 
totally  depraved  creatures. 

5.     If  what  has  been  faid  in  this  difcourre  be 
true  ;    then  the   whole  fcheme  of  Arminianifm  is 
fundamentally  wrong.     This  fyftem  of  fentiments 
is  entirely  built  upon  the  principle  of  a  JtlJ- determin- 
ing power  in  men^  to  embrace  or  to  rejecl  the  terms 
of  falvation.  The  advocates  for  this  principle  juflly 
infer  from  it,  that  men  are  not  totally  depraved;  that 
God  cannot  change  their  hearts  by  an  a6l  of  his 
power;  that  he  cannot  caufe  them  to  perfevere  in 
holinefs ;  and  that  he  could  not,  confiftently  with 
their  nature,  choofe  any  of  them  to  falvation,  from 
eternity.      This  fcheme,   it  mufl  be  allowed,   is 
very  confiftent  with  itfelf.     But  if  its  firft  princi- 
ple be  unfcriptural  and  abfurd ;  then  all  the  doc- 
trines, which  have  been  deduced  from  it,   have 
no  foundation  in  Scripture,  nor  reafon.     And  it 
plainly  appears  from  the  whole  tenor  of  this  dif- 
courfe,   that  its  firft  principle  is  repugnant  to  the 
whole  current  of  Scripture.      We   have   fhown, 
that  God  has  given  a  certain  number  of  mankind 
to  Chrift ;  that  thefe,  as  well  as  the  reft  of  the  fal- 
len race,  are  totally  depraved ;  that  no  means  or 
moral  motives  will  make  them  willing  to  be  faved; 
and  that  God  only  can  make  them  willing,  by  an 
aft  of  his  power.     If  thefe  things  are  true,  it  ne- 
cefTarilv  follows,  that  finners  have  not  a  felf-deter- 


374  SERMON      XV, 

mining  power,  and  never  will  be  faved,  unlefs  God 
by  a  fovereign  and  gracious  a6l  of  his  power,  bows 
their  wills  to  the  fceptre  of  Chrift.  Thofe,  there- 
fore, who  deny  the  fpecial  grace  of  God  in  the 
renovation  of  the  heart,  virtually  fubvert  the  whole 
gofpel.  For  by  denying  this  dofitrine,  they  put  it 
out  of  their  power  to  prove,  that  one  of  mankind 
will  be  faved,  or  the  leaft  good  will  be  anfwered, 
by  the  great  work  of  redemption.  Chrift  certain- 
ly died  in  vain,  if  none  of  mankind  will  be  faved ; 
arid  it  is  certain,  that  none  will  be  faved,  if  All  are 
left  to  themfelves  and  never  made  willing  in  the 
day  of  God's  power,  to  embrace  the  offers  of  life. 
No  two  fchemes  of  religious  fentiments  are  more 
diametrically  oppofite  to  each  other,  than  thofe 
of  Calvinifm  and  Arminianifm.  If  Calvinifm  be 
fcriptural,  Arminianifm  is  unfcriptural ;  if  Calvin- 
ifm is  fundamentally  right,  Arminianifm  is  funda- 
mentally wrong. 

6.  If  God  can  make  men  willing  to  be  faved, 
by  an  aft  of  his  power ;  then  we  may  fee  one  rea- 
fon,  why  he  ufually  fuffers  them  to  triumph  in 
their  v^ickednefs,  before  a  general  revival  of  re- 
ligion. This  was  God's  ufual  condu6l,  under  the 
Mofaic  difpenfation.  We  commonly  read  of 
great  degeneracy  and  moral  corruption  among 
his  people,  juft  before  any  great  and  remarkable 
outpouring  of  the  fpirit.  And  it  appears  to  have 
been  a  time  of  deep   declenfion,  juft  before  the 

revival 


SERMON      XV,  375 

revival  of  religion  on  the  day  of  Pentecoft,  when 
the  promife  of  the  Father  in  the  text  was  remark- 
ably fulfilled.  The  fame  mode  of  divine  conduct 
has  been  obferved,  in  thefe  latter  days.  The 
Chriftian  Hiftory  informs  us>  that  there  was  an  un- 
common prevalence  of  vice,  irreligion,  and  carnal 
ftupidity,  juft  before  the  general  revival  of  religion, 
about  fixty  years  ago.  Now,  this  fubjeft  fuggefts 
one  reafon,  why  God  ufually  orders  things  in  this 
manner.  It  is  to  make  all  men  fee,  that  the  revi- 
val of  religion  is  his  own  work;  that  he  can  fub- 
due  the  hardeft;  hearts;  that  he  can  bow  the  mo^ 
ftubborn  finners ;  that  though  Paul  plant  and  A- 
pollas  water,  yet  it  is  his  fole  prerogative  to  give 
the  increafe.  Who  can  deny  the  doft'rine  of  fpe- 
cial  grace,  or  difbelieve,  that  God  is  able,  by  an 
aft  of  his  power,  to  make  men  willing  to  be  faved; 
when  they  fee  an  uncommon  revival  of  religion, 
and  multitudes  flocking  to  Chrift,  as  doves  to 
their  windows,  before  an  impending  ftorm  ?  Such 
feafons  as  thefe,  are  direftly  fuited  to  fhake  the 
faith  and  hopes  of  thofe,  who  deny  the  peculiar 
do6lrines  of  grace.  And  it  is  becoming  the  only 
wife  God,  to  take  this  method  to  make  his  grace 
and  power  known,  in  the  converfion  of  finners, 
and  the  enlargement  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom. 
7.  If  God  is  able,  by  an  a8:  of  his  power,  to 
make  men  willing  to  be  faved ;  then  there  is  a  pro- 
priety in  praying  to  him,  for  the  revival  of  re- 
ligion 


37^  S  E    R    M    O    N    XV. 

ligion  and  the  converfion  of  finners.  Thofe,  who 
difbelieve  the  doftrine  of  fpecial  grace,  and  main- 
tain that  finners  are  converted  by  moral  fuafion, 
are  generally  very  backward  in  praying  for  a  fpe- 
cial divine  influence  upon  the  hearts  of  men.  The 
reafori  is  obvious.  They  fee  no  propriety  in  pray- 
ing to  God,  that  he  would  change  the  hearts  of 
men,  when  they  really  believe  it  is  out  of  his  pow* 
er  to  do  it.  But  if  it  be  true,  that  God  has  the 
hearts  of  all  men  in  his  hand,  and  can  bow  their 
wills,  with  infinite  eafe,  to  the  fceptre  of  Chrift; 
|Ken  there  is  great  propriety  in  praying,  that  he 
would  take  his  own  work  into  his  own  hands,  and 
fulfil  his  gracious  promifes  to  Chrift  and  to  his  peo- 
ple, concerning  the  profperity  of  Zion.  Ezra, 
Nehemiah,  and  Daniel  prayed  for  the  converfion 
of  finners  in  Babylon,  and  their  prayers  were 
heard.  •  The  Apoftles  were  incefTantly  praying 
for  the  outpourings  of  the  fpirit,  juft  before  the 
days  of  Pentecofl;  and  it  was  in  anfwer  to  their 
prayers,  that  fo  many  were  converted  on  that  joy- 
ful occafion.  And  it  is  flill  the  conflant  duty  of 
the  people  of  God,  to  pray  for  his  gracious  influ- 
ence upon  the  hearts  of  finners,  to  draw  them  to 
Chrift.  God  is  abundantly  able,  to  pull  down  the 
kingdom  of  darknefs,  and  build  up  the  kingdom  of 
Chrift,  through  the  world.  And  probably  he  is 
only  waiting  for  the  fervent  and  united  prayers 
©f  his  people,  for  this  great  and  exienfive  bleffing. 

ttYc 


S     E     R     M     O     N       XV.  377 

"Ye  that  mj^ke  mention  of. the  Lord,  therefore, 

J^eep  not  filence  :   and  give  him  no   reft  till  he  ef- 

lablifh,  and  till  he  make  Jerufalem  a  praile  in  the 
earth." 

Finally,  the  fubjefV,  which  we  have  been  con- 
fidering,  naturally  fuggefts  a  very  ferious  quef- 
tion  to  every  pcrfon  :  Are  you  pleafed  with  the 
,do8;rine  of  fpecial  grace  ?  If  you  only  anfwer  this 
queftion  fincerely  and  truly,  you  will  anfwer  another 
of  infinite  importance  ;  and  that  is,  whether  you  are 
a  faint  or  a  finner.  However  faints  may  differ  in 
other  refpefts,  yet  they  all  agree  in  this;  that  they 
are  pleafed  with  the  do6lrine  of  fpecial  grace. 
They  have  fuch  a  view  of  their  own  hearts,  and 
of  the  hearts  of  all  men,  that  they  could  not 
entertain  any  hopes  of  their  own,  or  of  any  other 
perfon's  falvation,  were  it  not  for  the  do6trine  of 
fpecial  grace.  All  good  men,  therefore,  rejoice 
that  God  is  able,  by  an  aft  of  his  power,  to  form 
his  own  glorious  moral  image,  in  whomfoever  he 
pleafes.  But,  on  the  ather  hand,  however  Tinners 
may  differ  in  other  refpeSls,  they  all  heartily  agree 
in  this ;  that  tiiey  diflike  the  do6lrine  of  fpecial 
grace.  There  is  no  fentimerit  more  grating  to  their 
feelings,  nor  more  deilrudive  to  their  hopes. 
They  cannot  bear  the  thought,  that  all  men  are 
in  the  hands  of  God,  as  the  clay  is  in  the  hands  of 
the  potter.  The  beft  and  the  word  finncrs  in  the 
Z   z  world. 


3^8  SERMON     XV. 

world,  are  here  perfeftly  of  one  mind.  They 
cannot  be  plealed  with  the  abfolute  foverergnty 
of  God.  Let  the  queftion,  then,  be  repeated, 
and  let  no  perfon  evade  an  anfwer.  Are  you  pleaf- 
ed  with  the  doHrim  of fpccial grace  ? 


SERMON 


SERMON     XVI. 

The  divine  Conduft,  in  the 
Reprobation  of  incorrigible 
Sinners,  both  illuftrated  and 
juftified, 

^ — r->c<>c>CK>-:«®9i®''®>>:>s;>s>c^::5-.:— —-. 

Exodus    ix.  i6. 

In  very  deed  for  this  cmife  have  I  raifcd  thee  up, 

X  HE  hiftory  of  Pharaoh  is  extremely 
interefting  to  all  defcriptions  of  men.  It  always 
awakens  their  feelings,  and  conftrains  them  to  take 
one  fide  or  the  other,  in  the  controyerfy  between 
him  and  his  Maker.  Though  few  will  prefume  to 
juftify  the  characler  and  condu6l  of  Pharaoh;  yet 
many  are  bold  enough  to  cenfure  the  chara61er 
and  conduft  of  Jehovah.  It  is,  therefore,  a  very 
folemn  and  important  fubje^:,  which  the  words  I 
have  read  fuggeft  to  our  ferious  confideration^ 
God  tells  Paraoh  to  his  face,  "  I  will  (Iretch  out  my 

handj 


380  SERMON     XVI. 

hand,  that  I  may  fmite  thee  and  thy  people  wlih 
peftilence;  and  thou  fhalt  be  cut  off  from  the  earth. 
And  in  very  deed  /or  this  cmi/e  have  I  raifed  thee  up." 
This  declaration  plainly  imports,  that  God  raifed 
up  Pharaoh,  to  fit  him  for  deftruftion.  To  vin- 
dicate this  inftance  of  the  divine  conduft,  will  be 
the  bufinefs  of  the  enfuing  difcourfe.  And  in  or- 
der to  this,  it  may  be  proper  to  fliow, 

I.  That  God  did  deftroy  Pharaoh. 

II.  That  he  raifed  him  up  to  fit  him  for  deflruc* 
tion.     And, 

III.  That  he  is  to  be  iuflified  in  this  inflance  of 
bis  conduft. 

I.  I  am  to  fliow,  that  God  did  deflroy  Pharaoh. 
The  Deity  threatened  "  to  cut  him  off  from  the 
earth ;  which  plainly  implied  fomething  more,  than 
barely  putting  an  end  to  his  life.  Had  he  permit- 
ted him  to  die  by  old  age,  or  by  ficknefs,  or  even 
by  what  is  commonly  called  accident,  wc  fliould 
have  had  no  right  to  conclude  from  the  manner  of 
his  dying,  that  he  was  really  deflroyed.  But  there 
were  two  circumftances  attending  his  death,  which 
may  be  juftly  confidered  as  denoting  his  deftruc- 
tioij.  He  was  cut  off  in  the  midft  of  his  wicked- 
nefs.  Though  he  had  been  vilited  with  plague  af- 
ter plague,  yet  he  perfifted  in  hardening  his  heart 
againft  God ;  and  though  he  had  permitted  the  If- 
raelites  to  leave  his  kingdom,  yet  he  purfued  them, 
with  a  flrong   deiire  cind  expeOaiion,  of  making 

them 


SERMON'      XVL  3^t 

them  feel  the  weight  of  his  vengeance.  "  The 
enemy  faid,  I  will  purfue,  I  will  overtake,  I  will 
divide  the  fpoil :  I  will  draw  the  fword,  my  hand 
fhall  deftroy  them."  This  was  the  languge  of  Pha- 
raoh's heart.  He  breathed  nothing  but  malice  and 
revenge  5  and  he  was  cut  off  in  the  full  exercile 
of  thefe  malignant  paflions.  This  is  one  circum- 
ftance,  which  indicates,  that  his  death  was  his  de- 
ftru6lion.  And  another  is,  that  he  died  by  the  im- 
mediate hand  of  divine  juftice.  As  God  opened 
the  Red  Sea  in  mercy  to  Ifrael,  fo  be  fhat  it' again 
in  judgment  to  Pharaoh,  whom  he  had  threatened 
to  deftroy.  This  was  cutting  him  oft'  by  a  judi- 
cial aft,  and  in  the  fame  manner,  in  which  he 
had  deftroyed  other  incorrigible  enemies.  He 
drowned  the  inhabitants  of  the  old  world,  by  a 
flood.  He  confumed  the  men  of  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah, by  fire  from  heaven.  Thofe  finners,  we 
know,  were  viftims  of  divine  wrath,  and  fet  forth 
as  examples,  fuffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal 
fire.  And  fince  Pharaoh  died,  as  they  died,  we 
may  conclude,  that  he  perifhed,  as  they  periflied. 
God  raifed  him  up  not  merely  for  death,  but  for 
deftruftion.  And  it  is  not  the  firft,  but  the  fecond 
death,  which  may  be  properly  called  the  deftruc- 
tion  of  a  rational  and  immortal  creature.  This 
warrants  us  to  believe,  that  when  God  cut  off"  Pha- 
raoh from  the  earth  ;  he  configned  him  to  the  re- 
gions of  darknefs,  where  he  is  referved  unto  the 
judgment  and  condemnation  of  the  great  day. 

II.  I 


^^2  SERMON      XVL 

II.    I  am  to  fhov/,  that  God  raifed  up  Pharaoh 
to  fit  him  him  for  deftru6lion.     God  worketh  all 
things  after  the  counfel  of  his  own  will.     He  nev- 
er  does  any  thing  without  a  previous  defign.     If 
he  did  deftroy  Pharaoh,  in  the  manner,  which  has 
been  reprefented,  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that 
he  previoufly  intended  to  deftroy  him  in  fuch  a 
manner.      But  the  divine   declarations  fuperfede 
the  neceffity  of  reafoning  upon  this  head.     God 
made   known,  from  time  to  time,  his  purpofe   of 
deftroving  Pharaoh.    He  told  Pharaoh  to  his  face, 
that  he  would  cut  him  off  from  the  earth,  and  that 
I>e  had  raifed  him  up  for  this  purpofe.     He  faid  to 
Mofes  before  he  went  to  Pliaraoh,  "  I  am  fure  the 
the  king  of  Egypt  will  not  let  you  go  :"  and  ad- 
ded, "  I  will  ftretch  out   my   hand,  and  fmiie  E- 
gypt."     This  was  a  plain  prediftion  of  the  over- 
throw of   Pharaoh  and  his  hofts  in  the  Red  Sea» 
And  with  equal  plainnefs  he  revealed  his  purpofe 
of   deflroying    Pharaoh  to   his    friend    Abraham. 
«  Thy  feed  fhall  be  a  ftranger  in  a  land  that  is  not 
theirs,  and  fhall  ferve  them,  and  they  fhall  afflid 
them  four  hundred  years  :    And  that  nation  whom 
they  fliall   ferve,  /  will  judge :"     that  is,  defli«oy. 
It  appears  from  this  lafl  prediQion,  that  God  had 
formed  his  purpofe  concerning   Pharaoh,  ages  be- 
fore he  brought  him  into  being ;   and  hence  we 
may   naturally  conclude,  that  he  formed  it  from 
the  carlv  ages  of  eternity.    He  then  formed  all  his 

other 


SERMON      XVI.  3^3 

other  purpofes;  and  there  is  no  reafon  to  imagine, 
that  he  determined  the  charader  and  condition  of 
the  king  of  Egypt,  in  a  later  period. 

Now,  if  we  look  into  the  hiftory  of  God's  con- 
du£l  towards  Pharaoh,  we  fhall  find,  that  he  ufed 
all  the  proper  and  neceflary  means,  to  form  him 
a  veffel  of  wrath,  and  fit  him  for  that  miferable 
end,  to  which  he  was  appointed. 

1.  He  raifed  him  up  out  of  nothing  into  being. 
He  gav^e  him  a  rational  and  immortal  exiftence. 
He  endued  him  with  all  the  intelledual  facultiesj 
which  were  neceffary  to  conflitute  him  a  free,  mor- 
al agent.  ■'  Pharaoh  appears  to  have  pofTeffed  a 
flrong  and  capacious  mind.  He  was  certainly  ca- 
pable of  enlarged  views.  He  had  an  extenfive 
reach  in  his  politics.  His  defigns  and  meafurcs, 
with  refpefl  to  the  children  of  Ifrael,  were  deep 
and  well  adapted,  to  anfwer  the  purpofes  of  his 
own  perfonal  power  and  interefl.  This  fhows, 
that  the  Father  of  fpirits  gave  him  fuperior  abili^ 
ties  and  placed  him  high  in  mental  eminence. 

2.  God  raifed  him  up  to  the  throne  of  Egypt. 
He  girded  hioi,  and  carried  him  in  the  arms  of 
his  providence,  through  infancy,  childhood,  and 
youth,  up  to  riper  years.  He  gave  him  opportu- 
nities for  cultivating  his  natural  powers,  and  for 
qualifying  himfelf  for  the  higheft  ftation  in  life.  At 
length,  he  placed  the  crown  upon  his  head,  and 
put  the  reins  of  government  into  his  hands.     He 

now 


S84  SERMON      XVL 

now  flood  at  the.  head  of  a  nation,  which  held  the 
iirft  rank  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  in  refpeft 
to  power,  v/ealth,  learning,  and  all  the  refinements 
9,f  poliflied  life.  In  this  fplendid  fituation,  he  was 
furrounded  with  every  thing,  that  could  pleafe  his 
tafte,  flatter  his  vanity,  and  enflame  his  ambition. 
He  knevv^  no  man  in  the  world,  who  v/as  able  to 
control  either  his  power,  or  his  purfuits.  To  fuch 
a  giddy  height  God  was  pleafed  to  raife  him  in  the 
courfe  of  his  providence.  And  this  was  a  natural 
and  neceffary  ftep,  to  prepare  him  for  his  final  fate. 
For  it  is  a  divine  maxim,  that  "  pride  goeth  before 
deilru6lion,  and  an  haughty  fpirit  before  a  fall." 
3.  God  not  only  raifed  Pharaoh  to  the  pinna- 
cle of  human  glory,  but  alfo  removed  from  him 
outward  reftraints.  Barely  giving  him  the  power 
of  an  unlimited  raonarchj  was  virtually  fetting  him 
above  all  le^al  influence  and  control.  But  be- 
fides  this,  God  removed  Mofes  from  his  prefence 
and  kingdom,  who  was  learned  in  all  the»wifdom 
of  Egypt,  and  thoroughly  acquainted  with  all  the 
arts  and  intrigues  of  a  court.  Had  this  wife  and 
pious  man  been  permitted  to  ftand  near  the  throne, 
or  even  to  live  in  the  kingdom?  his  example  and 
influence  might  have  been  a  filent  and  powerful 
check  upon  the  ambition  and  cruelty  of  a  lawlefs 
tyrant.  But  it  feems  God  fent  him  into  Midian, 
on  purpofe  to  give  Pharaoh  ample  opportunity  of 
indulging  his  inhuman  and  malignant  difpofition, 

in 


SERMON      XVI.  385 

in  opprefling  and  abufing  his  innocent  fubje61s. 
Accordingly  we  find,  that  it  was  in  the  abfcnce  of 
Mofes,  that  he  devifed  and  paffed  thofe  cruel  e- 
di6ls,  which  were  defigned  to  break  the  fpirits  and 
deftroy  the  lives  of  the  unoffending  Ifraelites.  God 
meant,  by  taking  off  outward  reftraints,  to  give 
him  a  fair  opportunity  of  filling  up  the  meafure  of 
his  fins,  and  of  ripening  himfelf  for  deferved  and 
predeftinated  ruin. 

4.  God  endured  this  vefTel  of  wrath,  with  much 
long-fufFering  and  forbearance.  Inftead  of  treat- 
ing him  according  to  his  deferts,  he  waited  long 
to  be  gracious.  He  ufed  a  variety  of  means  to 
bl-ing  him  to  repentance.  He  fent  him  one  folemn 
meflTage  after  another,  by  the  mouth  of  Mofes  and 
of  Aaron.  And  to  imprefs  thofe  meffages  the 
more  deply  on  his  mind,  he  followed  them  with  one 
awful  judgment  after  another,  until  he  had  fpread 
defolation,  terror,  and  mourning  through  the  land, 
Thefe  dreadful  fcenes  were  too  heavy  for  Pharaoh 
to  bear,  and  conftrained  him  time  after  time  to 
ftoop,  and  beg  for  relief.  His  cries  were  heard, 
and  refpitewas  granted.  But  mercies,  as  well  as 
judgments,  confpired  to  increafe  his  ftupidity  and 
hardnefs  of  heart,  which  prepared  him  for  a  more 
unexpefted  and  more  aggravated  doom. 

But  how  came  Pharaoh  to  wax  worfe  and  worfe 

under   both   the   fmiles  and   frowns  of  heaven  ? 

Mercies  and  affli6lions  have  a  moral  tendency  to 

A  A  a  foften 


086  SERMON       XVI. 

Ibften  and  meliorate  the  hearts  of  good  men.  Sainti» 
have  often  derived  great  benefit  from  the  ma- 
niirings  and  cultivations  of  divine  providence. 
And  even  obdurate  finners,  fuch  as  Manaffah, 
have  been  brought  to  humility  and  repentance, 
under  divine  corre6lions.  How,  then,  did  it 
come  to  pafs,  that  Pharao-h  grew  more  and  more 
ftupid  and  incorrigible,  under  all  the  frowns  as 
well  as  patience  and  long-fuffering  of  God  ?  This 
pertinent  queftion  leads  to  another  important  ob- 
fervation, 

5.  That  Cod  hardened  hi-s  heart.  We  read, 
'•The  preparations  of  the  heart  in  man,  and  the 
anfwer  of  the  tongue,  is  from  the  Lord."  And 
■we  read  again,  "  The  king's  heart  is  in  the  hand 
of  the  Lord,  as  the  rivers  of  water;  he  turneth 
it  whiiherfoever  he  will."  Pharaoh,  as  a  man  and 
as  a  king,  was  juft  as  much  dependent  on  God, 
as  other  men  and  other  kings.  His  heart,  there- 
fore, was  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  who  had  a  right 
as  well  as. power,  to  turn  it  whitherfoever  he  pleaf- 
ed.  And  he  was  pleafed  to  turn  it  againft  all  good. 
God  told  Mofes  before  he  fent  him  to  Pharaoh, 
that  he  would  harden  his  heart;  and  he  repeatedly 
told  Mofes  after  he  had  fent  him  to  Pharaoh,  that 
he  had  hardened  his  heart.  God  intended  to  hin- 
der Pharaoh  from  granting  the  requeft  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Ifrael,  until  he  had  prepared  him  for  h^s 
iinal  overthrow.     And  he  forefaw,  that  nothing 

fhort 


S    E     R     M     O     M       XVI.  387 

fliort    of  hardening  his  heart  would  fit  him  for 
that  fatal  event,    :  For,  the  powers  and  faculties, 
which    he  had  given  him  ;    the  exalted   dignity, 
which  he  had  conferred  upon  him  ;  and  all   the 
peculiar  circumflances,  under  which  he  had  plac- 
ed him  ;  would  have  inutually  confpired  to  fit  him 
for  heaven,  if  his  heart  had  been  tender  and  be- 
nevolent.    It  is  often  thought  and  faid,  that  no- 
thing rpore  was  neceffary  on  God's  part,  in  order 
to  fit  Pharaoh  for  defl:ru6lion»  than  barely  to  leave 
him  to  himfelf.     But  God  knew?  that  no  external 
means  and  motives  would  be   fufficient  of  them- 
fplves,  to  form  his  moral   character.      He  deter- 
mined, therefore,  to  operate  on  his  heart  itjelj,  and 
<;aufe  him  to  put  forth  certain  evil  exercifes^  in  the 
view  o(  certsdn  external  motives.     When  Moles  cal- 
led upon  him  to  let  the  people  go ;  God  flood  by 
him,  and  moved  him  to  refufe.     When  Mofes  inter- 
ceded for   him   and  procured  hirn  refpite  i    God 
ftood  by  him,  and  moved  him  to  exult  in  his  obfti- 
n^cy.     When  the  people  departed  from  his  king- 
dom; God  ftood  by  him,  and  ^oved  him  to  purfue 
after  them,  with  increafed  malice  and  revenge.  And 
what  God  did  on  fuch  particular  occafions,  be  did 
at  all  times.     He  continually  hardened  his  heart, 
t^nd  governed  all  the  exercifes  of  his  mind,  from 
the  day  0/  his  birth  to  the  day  of  his  death.     This 
was  abfolutely   neceffary,  to  prepare  him  for  his 
final  ftate,     All  other  methodsj^ithout  this,  would 
have  failed  of  fitting  him  for  deftiuftion. 

It 


388  SERMON     XVI. 

It  is  now  time  to  make  it  appear,  if  poflible, 

III.  That  God  is  to  be  jaftified  in  his  treatment 
of  Pharaoh. 

We  muft  proceed  upon  the  fuppofition,  that 
God  did  treat  him  in  the  manner,  which  has  been 
reprefented;  and  efpecially,  that  he  did,  among 
other  things,  a6lually  harden  his  heart.  Fofj  if 
this  be  not  fuppofed,  there  is  no  occafion  to  fay  a 
fingle  word,  to  juftify  the  divine  condu6l,  nor  fo 
much  as  to  inquire,  why  it  is  to  be  juftified.  But 
fuppofing  this  to  have  been  fufficiently  proved,  it 
may  be  obferved, 

1.  That  better  judges,  than  we  can  pretend  tq 
be,  have  approved  of  God's  treatment  of  Pharaoh. 
We  find  his  own  teftimony  in  favor  of  God  and 
againft  himfelf.  In  the  verfe  before  the  text,  God 
told  him,  that  he  would  cut  him  off  from  the  earth. 
And  in  the  text,  he  told  him  that  in  very  deed  he' 
had  raifed  him  up  for  this  purpofe.  But  we  read 
afterwards  in  the  twenty  feventh  verfe  of  the  con- 
text, "  Pharaoh  fent,  and  called  for  Mofes  and  A- 
aron,  and  faid  unto  thetn,  I  haue  Jinned  ih'is  time  : 
The  Lord  is  righteous,  and  /  and  t^  ^eo^/^  <^?'g 
wicked,''  This  Pharaoh  faid,  after  God  had  raifed 
him  up ;  after  he  had  taken  off  reftraints  from  his 
mind;  after  he  had  fent  fevere  judgments  upon 
him;  after  he  had  hardened  his  heart;  and  after 
he  had  told  him,  that  he  had  raifed  him  up  to  de- 
ftroy  him.  By  this  ume,  Pharaoh  was  nearly  ripen- 
ed 


SERMON      XVI.  383 

ed  for  ruin,  and  properly  prepared  to  judge, 
whether  God  had  injured  kim.^  or  whether  he  had 
injured  God.  And  he  freely  acknowledges,  that 
he  was  wicked^  and  had  injured  God,  and  that  God 
was  rigkiepiis,  and  had  never  injured  him.  This 
teftimony  has  every  mark  of  truth  and  fincerity. 
And  Vfho  fhal)  prefume  to  impeach  the  divine 
condu6l  towards  Pharaoh,  after  he  himfelf  has 
publicly  and  folferanly  juftified  iti* 

Mofes  and  Aaron  were  well  acquainted  with 
the  whole  feries  of  God's  conduft  towards  Pha- 
raoh, in  the  moft  critical  and  important  ftage  of  his 
life.  God  told  them  his  ultimate  defign  with  ref- 
peft  to  the  king  of  Egypt.  They  alfo  carried  his 
meffages  to  Pharaoh,  and  brought  back  his  anfwers 
to  God.  They  were  perfonally  knowing  to  the 
mercies  and  judgments,  which  God  employed  to 
bring  Pharaoh  to  fubmiffion  and  repentance ;  and 
alfo  to  the  language  and  condu6l  of  Pharaoh,  un- 
der the  divine  warnings,  admonitions,  and  correc- 
tions. They  flood  fpeftators  of  the  laft  miracle  of 
juftice,  by  which  God  fulfilled  his  threatening  to 
Pharaoh,  and  cut  him  off  from  the  earth.  And 
they  were  fo  fully  perfuaded  of  the  benevolence 
jis  well  as  re6iitude  of  the  divine  conduft,  that  they 
moft  cordially  joined  with  near  three  millions  of 
people,  in  praifing  God  for  the  deflruftion  of  Pha- 
raoh and  his  hofts  in  the  mercile£&  waves.  "  Then 
fang  Mofes  and  the  children  of  mael  this  fong  un- 
to 


39®' 


SERMON      XVr. 


to  the  Lord,  faying,  I  will  ling  unto  the  Lord  :  for 
lie  hath  triumphed  glorioufly ;  the  horfe  and  his 
rider  hath  he  thrown  into  the  fea.  Thy  right-hand, 
O  Lord,  is  become  glorious  in  power :  thy  right- 
hand,  O  Lord,  hath  daflied  in  pieces  the  enemy. 
And  in  the  greatnefs  of  thme  excellency  thou  haft 
overthrown  them  that  rofe  up  againft  thee :  thou 
fenteft  forth  thy  wrath,  which  con^fumed  them  as 
Itubbie.  Who  is  like  unto  thee,  Q  Lprd,  among 
the  gods  ;  Who  is  like  thee,  glorious  in  holinefs^ 
fearful  in  praifes,  doing  wonders!"  After  fuch  a 
folemn,  public,  and  joyful  approbation  of  God's 
treatment  of  Pharaoh,  it  mull  be  prefumption  in 
us,  to  call  the  jullicea  or  the  goodnefs  of  God  iij 
queftion. 

But  ftill  better  judges,  than  the  leaders,  elders, 
and  tribes  of  Ifrael,  have  approved  and  applauded 
the  divine  condu6l  towards  the  hardened  and  in- 
corrigible king  of  Egypt ;    I  mean  the  faints  and 
angels  in  heaven.     They  have  fung,  and  will  con- 
tiue  to  fing,  the  fong  of  Mofes,  at. the  overthrow  of 
Pharaoh.     The  Apoftle  John  tells  us,  that  he  faw 
not  only  the  feven  angels  who  had  the  feven  laft 
plagues,  but  alfo  them  that  had  gotten  the  vi6lory 
•  over  the  beaft  ftandnig  on  the  fea  of  glafs,  having 
the  harps  of  God,  and  finging  the  fong  of  Mofes  the 
fervant  of  God.  faying,  "  Great  and  marvellous  are 
thy  works,  Lord^od  Almighty,  jiifl  and  true  are 
thy  uaySi  thou  king  of  faints  !"     There  is  not  a 

Tingle 


S    E    R     M     6    N      XVI. 


39* 


fingle  inftance  of  GocTs  condu£t  fince  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world,  which  has  been  more  univerfaT- 
ly  and  conftantly  applauded  by  the  heft  judges  of 
moral  beauty  and  reftitude,  than  his  raifing  up 
and  deftroying  the  cruel  and  incorrigible  king  of 
Egypt.  We  muft  believe,  therefore,  that  the  Judge 
of  all  the  earth  did  right,  in  forming  and  deftroy- 
ing that  veffel  of  wrath. 

2.  The  fovereignty  and  juftice  of  God  allowed 
him  to  treat  Pharaoh  in  the  manner,  which  has 
juft  been  defcribed.  The  Deity  had  a  fovereign 
right  to  bring  Pharaoh  into  exiftence  ;  to  give  him 
the  powers  and  faculties  of  amoral  agent ;  to  place 
him  at  the  head  of  a  kingdom ;  and  to  operate 
upon  his  heart  in  the  fame  manner,  in  which  he" 
operated  upon  the  hearts  of  other  men.  And 
when  Pharaoh,  under  fuch  circumftances,  became 
extremely  haughty,  cruel,  malevolent,  and  obfti- 
nate  ;  he  had  a  right,  in  point  of  juftice,  to  cut 
him  off  from  the  earth,  and  fend  him  to  endlefs 
perdition.  In  forming  Pharaoh,  God  difplayed 
neither  juftice,  or  injuftice,  but  only  fovereignty. 
As  the  potter  is  a  fovereign  in  forming  his  vef- 
fels ;  fo  God  is  a  fovereign  in  forming  moral  a- 
gents.  And  after  he  has  formed  moral  agents,  he 
has  a  right  to  treat  them  according  to  their  moral 
chara£lers.  If  their  moral  charafters  are  perfect- 
ly holy,  God  has  a  right  to  make  them  completely 
and  forever  happy :  but  if  iheiWnoral  charaQers 

are 


89 


2 


SERMON       XVL 


are  perfe6lly  linful,  God  has  a  right  to  make  them 
completely  and  forever  miferabie.  God  formed 
Pharaoh  a  moral  agent,  and,  as  a  moral  agent,  he 
was  totally  wicked,  and  deferved  to  be  caft  off  for- 
ever. God,  therefore,  afted  according  to  ftriO: 
juftice,  in  dooming  him  to  eternal  deftruftion.  Di- 
vine fovereignty  was  difplayed  in  the  formation, 
and  divine  juftice  in  the  deftru6lion,  of  Phara- 
oh ;  and  for  the  difplay  of  thefe  perfedions  to- 
wards that  fon  of  perdition,  God  deferves  the  ap- 
probation and  praife  of  all  his  intelligent  creatures. 

I  have  now  finifhed  what  I  propofed  to  fay  con- 
cerning God's  treatment  of  Pharaoh.  If  what 
has  been  faid  be  true,  it  will  eftablifh  fome  points 
of  ferious  importance  upon  a  firmer  foundation^ 
than  that  of  mere  metaphyfical  arguments. 

1.  It  appears  from  the  divine  condu6l  towards 
Pharaoh,  that  the  doQ;rine  of  reprobation  is  true 
in  faft.  Pharaoh  was  a  reprobate.  God  deter- 
mined from  eternity  to  make  him  finally  mifera- 
bie. This  determination  he  eventually  carried 
into  effe6l.  He  brought  him  into  being;  form- 
ed him  a  rational  and  accountable  creature ;  tried 
him  with  mercies  and  judgments;  hardened  his 
heart  under  both ;  caufed  him  to  fill  up  the  meaf- 
ure  of  his  iniquity;  and  finally  cut  him  off  by  an 
a£l  of  his  juftice.  This  is  all  that  has  ever  been 
underftood  by  reprobation,  as  the  counterpart 
to  the  doftrine  q(||e6tion.     And  all  this  God  did 

with 


SERMON    XVI. 


396 


with  refpeft  to  Pharaoh,  who,  therefore,  has  every 
mark  of  a  reprobate.     But  if  God  did  actually  re- 
probate Pharaoh,  we  may  juftly  conclude,  that  he 
reprobated  all  others,  whom  he  did  not  choofe  to 
eternal  life.      This  inference   the    Apoflle    Paul 
draws  from  the  fate  of  Pharaoh,  in  the  ninth  of  Ro- 
mans.    *'  For  the  Scripture    faith  unto  Pharaoh, 
Even  for  this  fame  purpofe  have  I  raifcd  thee  up, 
that  I  might  fliew  my  power  in  thee,  and  that  my 
name  might  be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth. 
Therefore    hath  he  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have 
mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneih.     Thou  wilt 
fay  then  unto  me,  why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ?  For 
who  hath  refilled  his  will  ?  Nay  but,  O  man,  who 
art  thou  that  replieft  againft  God  ?  fhall  the  thing 
formed  fay  unto  him  that  formed  it,  Why  haft  thou 
made  me  thus  ?    Hath  not  the  potter  power  over 
the  clay  of  the  fame  lump  to  make  one  vefTel  un- 
to honor,  and  another  unto  difhonor  ?    What,  if 
God,  willing  to  fhew  his  wrath,  and  to  make   his 
power  known,  endured  with  much  long-fufFcring 
the  vefiels  of  wrath  fitted  to  deftruftion  :    And 
that  he  might  make  known  the  riches  of  his  glory 
on  the  vefiels  of  his  mercy,  which  he  had  afore 
prepared  unto   glory  ?"     The   cafe  of  Pharaoh  is, 
here  introduced,   to  prove  and  illuftrate  the  doc- 
trine of    reprobation,  as   the  counterpart  to  the 
doQrine  of  ele61ion.     Pharaoh's  fate  proves,  that 
God  has  in  fa8:  reprobated  ^oii^  of  the  human 
B  B  b  race. 


'094  S    E    R    M    a    N       XVi. 

race.  And  God's  conduft  towards  him  iiluftrates^^ 
his  conduct  towards  all  the  vefTels  of  wralh,  who 
fnall  be  fitted  for  deftru^tion,  in  diftinQion  from 
his  condu8;  towards  all  the  vefiels  of  mercy,  who 
ihail  be  fitted  for  falvation.  This  fame  Apoftle 
teaches,  in  various  other  paffages  in  his  writings, 
that  God  has  reprobated  all,  whom  he  has  not  e- 
te61ed.  He  fays  to  the  Thefialonians,  "God  has 
not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  falvaiioa 
by  our  Lord  Jefus  Chriil."  Here  he  fuppofes, 
that  all,  whom  God  has  not  appointed  to  falvation, 
he  has  appointed  to  wrath.  Again  he  fays  to  the 
Romans,  "  Ifrael  hath  not  obtained  that  which  he 
feeketh  for;  but  the  ekBion  hath  obtained  it,  and 
the  rejl  loere  blinded.  According  as  it  is  written^ 
God  hath  given  them  the  fpirit  of  flumber,  eyes 
that  they  fcould  not  fee,  and  ears  that  they  fliould 
not  hear,  unto  this  day.  And  David  faith.  Let 
their  table  be  made  a  fnare,  and  a  trap,  and  a  ftum- 
bling-block,  and  a  recompence  unto  them.  Let 
their  eyes  be  darkened,  that  they  may  not  fee,  and 
bow  down  their  back  alway."  His  meaning  is,  let 
every  thing  ferve  to  blind  and  harden  reprobate 
finners,  and  fit  them  for  final  de0ru61ion.  The 
Apoftle  Peter  reprefcnts  the  doftrine  of  reproba- 
tion in  direct  contrail  with  the  doftrine  of  eleftion. 
He  fays  to  chriftians  in  general,  "Wherefore  alfo 
it  is  contained  in  the  Scripture,  Behold,  I  lay  in 
Sion  a  cliief  coriifer'-ftonej  ele6l;  precious  :  and  he 

that 


SERMON      XVI. 


B9S^ 


t\i2it  believeth  on  him  Ihall  not  be  confounded. 
Unto  you  therefore  which  believe  he  is  precious  s 
but  unto  them  which  be  difobedicnt,  the  ftone  which 
the  builders  difallowed,  the  fame  is  made  the  head 
of  the  corner,  and  a  ftone  of  {tumbling,  and  a  rock 
of  offence,  even  to  them  thatjlumble  at  the  word,  be- 
ing dtfobedient,  where  unto  alfo  they  were  appointed,'* 
Our  Saviour,  likewife,  in  the  courfe  of  his  preach- 
ing, taught  the  doQ:rine  of  reprobation  in  plain 
and  pointed  terms.  He  publicly  called  Judas  be- 
fore his  death,  "  the  fon  of  perdition."  He  told 
fome  of  his  obftinate  hearers,  that  he  came  into 
the  world  to  fave  the  eleS,  and  to  deftroy  the  non- 
ekft.  "Jefus.faid,  For  judgment  I  am  come 
into  the  world :  that  they  which  fee  not  might  fecg 
and  that  they  which  fee  might  be  made  blind."  And 
it  appears,  that  his  miracles  and  preaching  had  this 
effect  upon  thofe,  who  were  given  up  to  a  reprobate 
fpirit.  "  But  though  he  had  done  fo  many  mira« 
cles  before  them,  yet  they  believed  not  on  him : 
That  the  faying  of  Efaias  tlie  prophet  might  be 
fulfilled  which  he  fpake.  Lord,  who  hath  believed 
our  report?  and  to  whom  hath  the  arm  of  the 
Lord  been  revealed  ?  Therefore  they  could  not 
believe,  becaufc  Efaias  faid  again,  He  hath  blind- 
ed their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart,  that  they 
fhould  not  fee  with  their  eves,  nor  underftand  with 
their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  fhould  heat 
ihem."     Scripture  fafts   and  dieclarations  give  us 

n9 


^gG  SERMON       XVI. 

no  more'  room  to  doubt,  whether  God  has  reprohat- 
ed  fome,  than  whether  he  has  eleBed  others ;  nor 
whether  he  will  eventually  deftroy  all  the  reprobate^ 
than  whether  he  will  eventually  fave  all  the  elcB. 
Though  multitudes  may  diflike  the  doftrine  of 
reprobation;  yet  none  have  a  right  to  fay,  that 
this  folemn  and  important  do6lrine  is  not  plainly 
revealed  in  the  Scriptures  of  truth. 

2.  This  inftance  of  Pharaoh  removes  all  the 
objeftions  which  ever  have  been,  or  which  ever 
can  be  made  againft  the  doftrine  of  reprobation. 
Many  have  exerted  the  whole  force  of  their  minds, 
to  devife  plauftble  objedions  againft  this  unpala- 
table doBrine.  But  all  that  has  been  or  can  be 
faid  againft  it,  ftands  refuted  by  the  fate  of  Pha- 
raoh :   he  was  a  reprobate. 

It  is  faid,  if  God  has  reprobated  a  certain  num- 
ber of  mankind,  then  he  can  have  no  other  end  in 
bringing  thofe  perfons  into  exiftence,  than  mere- 
ly to  deftroy  them;  which  is  totally  inconfiftent 
with  true  benevolence. 

Though  God  always  intended  to  deftroy  Pha- 
raoh, yet  he  had  a  wife  and  benevolent  defign  in 
giving  him  exiftence.  He  meant,  that  he  fiiould 
aft  an  important  part  on  the  ftage  of  life,  and  be 
greatly  inftrumental  in  promoting  the  benevolent 
defigns  of  providence.  This  God  told  him  before 
he  deftroyed  him.  "  For  now  will  I  ftretch  out 
my  hand,  that  I  may  fmite  thee  and  thy  people 

with 


SERMON       XVI.  397 

vith  peftilence;  and  thou  JJialt  he  cut  off /rem  the 
earth.  And  in  very  deed  for  this  cavfe  have  I  raif- 
ed  thee  up,  for  to  Jhew  in  thee  my  power ;  and  that 
my  name  may  he  declared  throughout  all  the  earth."  God 
made  Pharaoh  for  himfelf,  as  well  as  for  the  day 
of  evil.  And  he  would  not  have  made  him  for  the 
day  of  evil,  had  it  not  been  necefTary,  in  order  to 
declare  his  own  glory.  God  has  the  fame  end 
to  anfwer,  by  bringing  all  the  non-eleB;  into  exift- 
ence.  He  intends  they  fiiall  be  the  means  ot  dif-( 
plaving  his  own  glory,  both  in  time  and  eternity.- 
And  what,  if  God,  willing  to  fliew  his  wrath  and 
make  his  power  known  on  the  vefiels  of  wrath, 
bring  them  into  exiftence  for  this  noble  and  im- 
portant purpofe,  who  may  or  ought  to  objeft  ?  The 
glory  of  God  is  the  higheft  and  bell  end  he  could 
propofe  in  the  creation  of  the  world.  And  if  he 
originally  intended,  and  will  finally  make  the  non- 
ele£l  fubfervient  to  this  end,  his  benevolence  will 
as  clearly  appear,  in  reprobating  fome  to  eternal 
perdition,  as  in  elefting  others  to  eternal  life. 

It  is  faid,  the  doftrine  of  reprobation  is  incon- 
fiftent  with  free  agency,  becaufe  it  implies,  that 
God  has  decreed  all  the  aftions  of  thofe,  whom  he 
has  appointed  to  deftrudion  ;  which  lays  them  un- 
der a  fatal  neceffity  of  purfuing  the  path  to  ruin.    •' 

This  objeftion  is  contrary  to  fa£l.  Pharaoh  was 
a  reprobate.-  His  aftions  were  decreed  and  pre- 
diQ:ed.    God  foredetermined  and  foretold  how  he 

(hould 


SERMON     XVI. 

Should  a6l ;   and  he  did  a6i:  according  to  the  de- 
terminate counfel  and  foreknowledge  of  God.    But 
it  appears  from  the  whole  hiftory  of  his  life,  that 
he  a6ted  as  freely  and   voluntarily  as  any  other 
man  in  the  world.     Did  he  not  aQ;  freely  in  com- 
manding the   midwives  to  deilroy   every  male  a- 
mong  the  Hebrew  children  ?  Did  he  not  a£l  free- 
ly in  refufing  to  obey  the  meflages  of  heaven,  by 
the  mouth  of  Mofes  ?  Did  he  not  aSt  freely  in  ap- 
pointing tafk-mafters  to  increafe  the  burdens  and 
diftreffes  of  the  children  of  Ifrael  ?  Did  he  not  a6l 
freely  in  confeffing  his  faults  to  Mofes,  and  in  beg- 
ging him  to  intercede  for  him  at  the  throne  of  dir 
vine  grace  ?   Did  he  not  a^  freely  in  forbidding 
Mofes  to  fee. his  fac^e  any  more  ?   Did  he  not  a6k 
freely  afterwards,  in  not  only  permitting  but  urg- 
ing the  Ifraelites  to  leave  his  kingdom  ?  And  after 
they  bad  left  it,  did  he  not  a£t  freely  in  puriuing 
them   into    the   Red  Sea,  "where  he   finilhed  hi» 
courfe  and  met  his  fate  ?    It  is  iropoflible  to  con- 
ceive, that  Pharaoh  fliould  have  enjoyed  more  lib- 
erty or  moral  freedom,  than  he  aftually  did  enjoy, 
■while  performing  thofe  very  a6tions,  which  were 
the  appointed  means  of  his  deftruclion.     He  afted 
freely  and  voluntarily  all  his  life,  under  a  divine 
decree,  and  under  a  divine  influence.     Though 
God  hardened  his  heart,  yet  he  hardened  his  own 
heart,  and  freely  walked  "  in  the  way  to  hell,  go- 
ing down  to  the  chambers  of  death."     HeiCj  then, 

it 


SERMON       XVI.  399 

It  appears  to  be  true  fn  faQ,  that  the  doftrine  of 
reprobation  is  perfeBly  eonfiftent  with  free  agen- 
cy. The  cafe  of  Pharaoh  h  exaftly  fimilar  to  the 
cafe  of  all  other  reprobates.  And  if  the  decree 
of  reprobation  did  not  deftroy  his  moral  freedom, 
it  cannot  deftroy  the  moral  freedom  of  any  one  of 
the  non-eleft. 

It  is  faid,  the  do61rine  of  reprobation  is  incon- 
fiftcnt  with  the  ufe  of  means.  If  God  has  decreed 
tiiat  any  fhould  finally  perifli,  it  is  vain  and  abfurd 
to  ufe  any  means  in  order  to  their  falvation. 

This  obje6loin  is  founded  upon  the  preceding, 
and  if  there  is  no  foundation  for  thai,  there  is  none 
for  this.  If  the  decree  of  reprobation  does  not 
deftroy  free  agency,  then  it  does  hot  deftroy  the 
tife  of  means.  If  reprobates  remain  free  agents, 
then  there  is  a  great  propriety  in  treating  them  as 
fuch,  and  in  exhibiting  before  them  all  the  mo- 
tives of  the  gofpel,  to  lead  them  to  repentance. 
But  it  is  fufficient  to  fay,  that  God  ufed  means  with 
Pharaoh,  to  bring  him  to  good,  though  he  had  de- 
termined to  deftroy  him.  He  admbniflied  him  of 
his  .duty  and  of  his  danger;  he  vifited  him  with 
mercies  and  judgments;  he  employed  Mofes  and 
Aaron,  and  even  his  own  fiibje6ls,to  perfuade  him  to 
fubmiffion  ;  and  he  delayed  to  cut  him  off  from  the 
earth,  until  it  clearly  appeared,  that  all  means  and 
motives  ferved  to  harden  his  heart  and  increafe 

his  obftinacy.   This  iiiftauce  of  the  divine  conduQ: 

towards 


400 


SERMON       XVL 


towards  a  reprobate,  demonftrates  the  propriety  of 
ufing  all  the  means  of  grace  'whh  reprobates.  God 
addrefled  the  underftanding,  the  confcience,  and 
the  heart  of  Pharaoh,  and  ufed  every  method  prop- 
er to  be  ufed,  to  bring  any  obftinate  finner  to  re- 
pentance. Reprobates  are  as  capable  of  feeling 
the  force  of  moral  motives,  as  any  other  men  in 
the  world  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  as  proper  to  ufe  the 
means  of  grace  with  the  non-ele6t,  as  with  the  ele6l. 
So  God  teaches,  by  his  word  and  by  his  conduft. 

It  is  faid,  the  do6lrine  of  reprobation  carries 
the  idea  of  partiality,  which  is  a  reproach  to  the  di- 
vine  charader. 

This  objeclion  is  contrary  to  plain  faft.  God 
did  reprobate  Pharaoh  ;  and  in  doing  it,  he  dif- 
played  his  fovereignty,  not  his  partiality.  God 
has  a  right  to  treat  his  creatures  differently,  when 
he  fees'  it  will  anfwer  a  wife  i^nd  benevolent  pur- 
pofe.  And  he  told  Pharaoh,  that  he  had  fuch  a 
good  defign  in  decreeing  his  deftruftion.  "  And 
in  very  deed  for  this  caufe  have  I  raifed  thee  up, 
for  to  (hew  in  thee  my  power ;  and  that  my  name 
may  be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth,"  But  if 
God  had  a  wife  and  benevolent  parpofe  in  repro- 
bating Pharaoh  :  then  he  mult  have  had  the  fame 
noble  and  important  end  in  reprobating  all  the 
non-elect.  And  this  excludes  every  idea  of  par- 
tiality from  the  doftrine  of  reprobation.  For  par- 
tiality confiRs,  not  merely  in  Ueating  one  perfon 

differenily 


.SERMON      XVI.  4^ 

diffbrently  from  anot^etj  but  in  treating  one  per- 
.fon  differently  from  another,  without  any  reajon. 

I  might  go  Oh  ftating  and  anfwering  objeftiohs 
againft  the  do6lrine  of  reprobation,  but  I  forbear. 
The  fingle  itiftance  of  Pharaoh  will  apply  to,  and 
€ompIeteIy  anfwer,  every  obje6lion,  which  can  be 
made  againft  God's  choofing  fome  to  eternal  life, 
and  reprobating  others  to  everlafting  perdition. 
Pharaoh  hirafelf  once  and  again  jujlified  God  and 
condemned  himfdf.  And  all  reprobates  will  fooner 
or  later  be  obliged  to  adopt  his  fentiments  and 
fpeak  his  language.  A  ftrong  and  irrefiftible  con-- 
viftion  of  their  own  guilt,  and  of  the  divine  refti- 
tude  in  foreordaining  tbeir  exiftence,  their  charac- 
ter, and  their  condition,  will  give  a  peculiar  em- 
phafis  to  that  laft  fentence,  which  will  fix  them  in 
everlafting  darknefs  and  defpair. 

3.  If  God  is  to  be  juftified  in  his  treatment  of 
Pharaoh,  whom  he  predeftinated  to  eternal  deftruc- 
tioh ;  then  it  argues  rhuch  more  modefty,  to  main- 
tain the  do6lrine  of  reprobation,  than  to  deny  it. 
It  is  very  often  thought  and  faid,  that  it  betrays 
arrogance  and  prefumption  in  ignorant  and  ftiort- 
fighted  creatures,  to  pry  into  the  divine  counfels, 
and  teach  the  doftrine  of  divine  decrees,  efpecial- 
ly  the  moft  obnoxious  and  myfterious  part  of  it, 
that  of  reprobation.  But  how  does  it  appear  to  be 
any  more  prying  into  the  divine  counfels,  to  ajfert, 
than  to  deny,  this  doQrine  ?  And  how  does  it  ap- 
C  c  c  pear 


4<^  SERMON     XVI. 

pear  any  more  arrogant  and  prefttmptu(5us,  to  cf- 
Jert,  than  to  deny  any  thing  refpeRing  the  Dekv. 
The  truth  is,  arrogance  confifts  in  denying  what 
God  has  aflerted;  but  modefty  in  believing  ,an4 
maintaining  it.  And  upon  this  principle,  it  ar- 
gues real  modefty  to  believe  and  maintain  the 
doftrine  of  reprobation,  which  God  has  plainly 
revealed  in  his  word*  It  is  fubje6ling  our  wifdom 
to  his  wifdomy  and  our  partial  feelings  to  his  infi-- 
nite  benevolence.  But  it  is  hard  to  conceive  how 
there  can  be  the  leaft  degree  of  modefty  in  deny- 
ing what  God  has  aflerted,  and  in  being  wife  above 
what  he  has  written.  This  is  real  arrogance  and 
prefumption,  in  whomfoever  it  is  found. 

4.  If  it  be  true,  that  God  is  to  be  juftified  in 
foreordaining  the  deftru6lion  of  the  non-ele61;; 
then  it  is  altogether  proper  and  neceflary  to  preach 
the  d66trine  of  reprobation.  It  feems  to  be  a  pre- 
vailing opinion  among  many,  who  acknowledge 
the  do6lrine  of  reprobation  is  contained  in  the  Bi- 
ble, that  it  is  unneceflTary  and  improper  for  public 
teachers  to  infift  upon  it,  in  their  public  difcourfes. 
They  fay,  that  this  doQrine  is  dark  and  myfteri- 
Gus;  that  it  is  difcouraging  to  finners;  that  it 
tends  to  lead  them  into  defpair;  that  it  is  apt  to 
give  them  falfe  and  difagreeable  ideas  of  the  divine 
charafter.  For  thefe  reafons,  they  think  it  is  a 
more  wife  and  prudent  praBice  in  preachers,  ei- 
ther never  to  mention  the  do6lrine  of  reprobation, 

Of 


s  E   r'  m  'o  'n    XVI.        ^ 

or  if  they  mention  it,  not  to  dwell  upon  it,  or  at- 
tempt to  inculcate  it  as  an  article  of  faith.     But  is 
this  chriftian  prudence  ?    Is  this  declaring  all  the 
counfel  of  God  ?  Is  this  fpeaking  on  God's  behalf? 
Is  this  giving  finners  an   opportunity  of  knowing 
whether  they  love  or  hate  their  Creator  ?    There 
is  no  divine  truth,  which  is  more  direftly  fuited 
to  difcover  the  hearts  of  finners  to    themfelves^ 
than  the  doflrine  of  reprobation.      It  never  fails  to 
awaken  their  native  enmity  to  the  divine  charac- 
ter.    God  may  vifit  them  with  mercies,  or  with 
judgments,  and  they  may  ftill  remain  ignorant  of 
their  hearts.     Minifters   may   preach  the  terrors 
of  the  law,  and  the  gracious  invitations  of  the  gof- 
pel,  and  they  ftill  remain  unacquainted  with  theii: 
real  chara6ler  and  condition.     But  when  the  doc- 
trine  of  reprobation  is  clearly  exhibited  before 
them,  they  cannot  help  difcovering  the  plague  of 
their  own  hearts.  They  cannot  endure  the  thought, 
that  God  has  determined  their  charaQer  and  con- 
dition for  eternity,  and  will  according  to  his  eter- 
nal purpofe,  either  foften  or  harden  their  hearts, 
and  either  fit  them  for  heaven  or  for  hell.     They 
cannot  bear  to  be  treated  as  God  treated  Pharaoh, 
and  Judas,  and  others,  who  were  predeftinated  to 
eternal  deftru6lion.     If  it  be  a  matter  of  impor- 
tance, therefore,  that  finners  ftiould  be  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  chara6ler  of  God  and  with  their 
€wn  character }  then  it  is  a  matter  of  equal  impor- 


tance 


,|C4  SERMON      XVI. 

tance,  that  the  doftrine  of  reprobatioa  fhou\d  be 
clearly  and  fully  exhibited*     This  do^xine  cannot 
be  preached  too  plainly.     It  ought  to  be  repre- 
fented  as  God's  eternal  and  effectual  purpofe  to., 
deftroy  the  non-eleft.     God  could  no,t  reprobate 
any  from  eternity,  without  intending  to  carry  his 
eternal  purpofe  into  execution.     Such  is  the  nat^; 
ure  and  extent  of  the  doftrine  of  reprobation  ; 
which  difplays  the  feelings  of  God's  heart  towards 
that  portion  of  mankind,  who  will  be  finally  loli. 
And  thefe   feelings  are  his  true  glory,,  which  he 
means  fhould  be  fully  difplayed.     To  ufe  his  own, 
expreffion,  "  God  is  not  alharaed"  of  the  doBrine 
of  reprobation.     He  means  to  hav^e  it  known,  that 
he  raifed  up  one  and  another  of  our  fallen  cace,, 
for  final  deftru6lion,  that  his  name  may  be  declar.^^   ' 
ed  throughout  all  the  earth.     And  fhall  his  fer- 
vants,  who  are  fet  apart  to  delineate  his  charafter,. 
and  explain  his  word,  be  afhamed  to  teach  a  doc* 
trine,  which  is  defigned  to  give  the  moft  bright, and 
affe6ling  difplay  of  his  glory? 

5.  If  God  is  to  be  juftified  in  his.  treatment  of 
Pharaoh  and  of  all  the  reft  of  the  non-ele8:;  then 
it  is  abfolutely  neceffary  to  approve  of  the  doc- 
trine of  reprobation,  in  order  to  be  faved.  None 
can  be  admitted  to  heaven,  who  are  not  prepared 
to  join  in  the  employments  as  well  as  enjoyments 
of  the  heavenly  world.  And  we  know,  that  one 
part  of  the  bufinefs  of  the  blefled  is  to  celebrate 

the 


SERMON    XVI.  405 

the  doQrine  of  reprobation.  They  fing  the  fong 
of  Mofes  and  the  Lamb,  which  is  an  anthem  of 
praife  for  the  deftruftion  of  Pharaoh  and  his  rep- 
robate hoft.  How,  then,  can  any  be  meet  for  an 
inheritance  among  the  faints  in  light,  who  are  not 
reconciled  to  the  doflrine  of  reprobation,  which 
is,  and  which  will  be  forever,  celebrated  there  ? 

While  the  decree  of  reprobation  is  eternally  ex- 
ecuting on  the  veffels  of  wrath,  the  fmoak  of  their 
torments  will  be  eternally  afcending  in  the  view 
of  the  veflTels  of  mercy,  who  inftead  of  taking  the 
part  of  thofe  miferable  obje6ls,  will  fay.  Amen,  aU 
leluia,  praife  ye  the  Lord.  It  concerns,  therefore, 
all  the  expeftants  of  heaven,  to  anticipate  this  try- 
ing fcene,  and  afk  their  hearts,  whether  they  are 
on  the  Lord's  fide,  and  can  praife  him  for  repro- 
bating as  well  as  elefting  love.  This  is  the  moft 
proper  fubje6l,  by  which  to  try  their  chriftian  char- 
after.  They  muft  fooner  or  later  be  brought  to 
this  touch-ftone,  and  either  ftand,  or  fall  by  it. 
The  day  of  decifion  is  at  hand.  The  fcenesofe- 
ternity  will  foon  open  to  view.  And  thofe  who 
cannot  heartily  and  joyfully  fing  the  fong  of  Mo- 
fes and  the  Lamb,  muft  be  excluded  from  the  a- 
bodes  of  the  bleifed,  and  fmk  fpeechlefs  into  the 
bottomlefs  pit  of  defpair. 

SERMON 


SERMON     XVII. 
On  the  Unpardonable  Sin. 

I  John    v.  i6. 
There  is  a  Jin  unto  death. 

X  HE  Apoftle  is  here  fpeaking  upon  the 
fubjeft  of  prayer.  He  encourages  all,  who  be- 
lieve in  Chrift,  to  call  upon  God  with  freedom 
and  confidence.  He  afiures  them,  if  they  pray  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  God,  either  for  themfelves 
or  others,  their  prayers  (hall  certainly  be  heard 
and  anfwered.  But  he  obferves,  it  is  not  their  du- 
ty to  pray  for  any  who  are  known  to  have  com- 
mitted the  fin  unto  death,  becaufe  that  is  a  pecul- 
iar fin,  which  God  has  determined  never  to  for- 
give. "  Thefe  things  have  I  written  unto  you 
that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  that 
^e  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  that  ye 
may  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  Go^.  And 
this  is  the  confidence  that  we  have  in  him,  that  if 


SERMON      XVII. 

•we  afk  any  thing  according  to  his  will,  he  heareth 
us.  And  if  we  know  that  he  hear  us,  whatfoevcr 
we  afk,  we  know  that  we  have  the  petitions  that  we 
defired  of  him.  If  any  man  fee  his  brother  fin  a 
fin  which  is  not  unto  death,  he  Ihall  afk,  and  he 
ihall  give  him  life  for  them  that  fin  not  unto  death. 
Thei'e  is  a  Jin  unto  death  :  I  do  not  fay  that  he  Jhall 
pray J$r  it.  All  unrighteoufnef*  is  fin:  and  there 
is  a'fin  not  unto  death."  According  to  this  repre- 
fentation  of  the  fin  unto  death,  it  is  evidently  that 
fin,  which  our  Saviour  faid  fhould  never  be  for- 
given, and  that  which  is  commonly  called  the  Un- 
pardonable Sin,  Here  it  may  be  proper,  firft,  to 
point  out  the  peculiar  properties  of  this  fin ;  and, 
then,  to  inquire  why  it  is  unpardonable. 

Though  few,  perhaps,  have  ever  committed  the 
unpardonable  fin  ;  yet  many  have  been  greatly  ex- 
ercifed  with  apprehenfions  of  its  guilt,  and  fome 
have  been  driven  to  the  very  borders  of  defpair. 
Carelefs  and  flupid  perfonshave  but  little  dread  of 
finning  the  fin  unto  death';  but  thofe  of  a  more  ten- 
der confcience  and  gloomy  cafl  of  mind,  are  ex- 
tremely prone  to  imagine,  that  they  have  adually 
finned  beyond  the  reach  of  pardoning  mercy.  It 
is,  therefore,  of  pra6lical  importance,  to  fay  fome- 
thing  upon  this  fubje£l,  which  is  fuited  to  remove 
the  groundlefs  fears  of  fome,  and  to  prevent  the 
fatal  prefumption  of  others.  And  for  this  pur- 
pofe,  it  is  very  neceffaryj 

I.  To 


SERMON      XVII.     '  409 

I.  To  point  out  the  peculiar  properties  of  the 
lin  unto  death.     And  here  I  would  obferve,  • 

1.  This  fin  is  directly  pointed  againft.the  Holy 
Ghoft.  Though  there  be  but  one  true  God ;  yet 
the  Scripture  reprefents  the  one  true  God,  as  exift- 
ing  in  three  diftinfl;  Perfons.  Thefe  are  called, 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghoft ;  and  re- 
prefented,  as  bearing  diftinfl;  parts  in  the  work  of 
our  redemption.  Hence  one  fin  may  be  more  di- 
reftly  pointed  againft  the  Father;  another  more  di- 
reBly  pointed  againft  the  Son;  and  another  more 
direftly  pointed  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft.  The 
tranfgreffion  of  the  divine  law  feems  to  be  more 
diredly  pointed  againft  the  perfon  of  the  Father, 
who  aflumes  the  chara6ler  of  Lawgiver.  Unbe- 
lief more  immediately  diftionors  the  perfon  of  the 
Son,  who  claims  the  chara6ler  of  Mediator.  And 
open  oppofition  to  the  appearance  of  holinefs  more 
efpecially  reproaches  the  perfon  of  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
who  performs  the  office  of  San6lifier. 

Our  Saviour,  fpeaking  of  the  unpardonable  fin, 
obferves  this  diftinftion  of  perfons  in  the  Godhead; 
and  reprefents  it,  as  more  direQly  pointed  againft 
the  Holy  Ghoft,  than  againft  either  of  the  other 
perfons  in  the  facred  Trinity.  In  the  twelfth  chap- 
ter of-  Matthew  we  read,  "  They  brought  unto 
him  one  pofleffed  with  a  devil,  blind  and  dumb  : 
and  he  healed  him,  infomuch  that  the  blind  and 
dumb  both  fpake  and  faw.  And  all  the  people 
D  D  d  were 


410  SERMON       XVII, 

were  amazed,  and  faid,  Is  not  this  the  fon  of  Da- 
vid ?  But  when  the  Pharifees  heard  it,  they  faid, 
This  fellow  doih  not  caft  out  devils  bat  by  Beel- 
zebub the  prince  of  devils.  And  Jefas  knew  their 
thoughts,  and  faid  onto  them — Wherefore,  all  man- 
ner of  fin  and  blafphemy  fhall  be  forgiven  unto 
men  :  but  the  blafphemy  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft 
fhall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men.  And  whofoe- 
ver  fpeaketh  a  word  againft  the  Son  of  man,  it 
fhall  be  forgiven  him  :  but  whofoever  fpeaketh 
againft  the  Holy  Ghoft,  it  fliall  not  be  forgiven 
him,  neither  h\  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to 
come."  Our  Saviour  wrought  miracles,  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghoft ;  and  accordingly  he  con- 
fiders  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  as  blafpheming  the 
Holy  Ghoft,  by  afcribing  a  miracle  wrought  by  his 
divine  inflitence,  to  the  power  and  agency  of 
the  devil.  And  he  repeatedly  declares,  that  their 
fin  was  unpardonable,  not  becaufe  it  was  pointed 
againft  himfelf,  but  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft.  ''Who- 
foever fpeaketh  a  word  againft  the  Son  of  man,  it 
fliall  be  forgiven  him  :  but  whofoever  fpeaketh 
againft  the  Holy  Ghoft,  it  ftiall  not  be  forgiver> 
him."  And  to  make  the  diftinftion  plainer  ftill,  he 
fays,  '•  All  manner  of  fin  and  blafphemy  ftiall  be 
forgiven  unto  men  :  but  the  blafphemy  of  the  Ho- 
ly Ghoft  fhall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men."  Accord- 
ing to  this  infallible  defcription  of  the  fin  unto 
death,  it  is  always  diredly  pointed  againft  the  Holy 
Ghoft.  ^(^^ 


SERMON    XVII.  441 

.  a.   The  fin,  which  fhall  never  be  forgiven,  is  a 
fin  of  the  Tongue.    This  appears  from  the  exprefs 
declarations  of  Chrift.    In  the  twelfth  of  Luke,  he 
fays,   "  Whofoever  fball  fpeak  a  word  againft  the 
Son  of  man,  it  Ihall  be  forgiven  him  ;  but  unto  him 
that  hlafphemeth  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft,  it  Ihaii  not 
be  forgiven."  And  in  the  third  of  Mark,  he  conveys 
the  fame  idea,  in  plainer  and  ftronger  terms.  "  Ver- 
ily I  fay  unto  you,  All  fins  fliali  be  forgiven  unto  the 
fons  of  men,  and  blafphemies  'whQxzmih.  foever  they 
fiiall  blafphcmc  :  but  he  th^it  fiiall  blafpheme  againfl: 
the  Holy  Ghoft  hath  never  forgivenefs."  The  evan- 
geiift  adds,   "  Becaufe  they /aid,  He  hath  an  un- 
clean fpirit."     Though  they  had  inwardly  felt  the 
j^eeneft  malice  againft   Chrift,  yet,   if  "  they  had 
not  faid^   he  hath  an  unclean   fpirit,"  they  would 
not  have  hlafphemed  the  Holy  Ghoft,  by  whom  he 
wrought    miracles,    nor  confequently  have    been 
guilty  of  the  unpardonable  fin.     Blafpheray  prop- 
erly confifts  in  evil fpeaking,  and  can  be  commit- 
ted only  in  words.     Though  there  is  a  multitude  of 
ways  of  dijhonoriii^  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghoft;  yet  there  is  but  one  way  of  hlafphem- 
ing  thefe  divine  Perlbns,  and  that  is,   by  /peaking 
reproachfully  of  them.     And   fince  our  Saviour 
exprefsly  fays,  that  the  fin  unto  death  confifts  in 
hlajpheming  the  Holy  Ghoft,   we  may  fafely  cour 
elude,  the  unpardonable  fin  is  always  a  fin  of  the 
Tongue.     This  leads  me  to  obferve, 

3.  That 


418  SERMON      XVII. 

3.  That  the  fin,  which  fhall  never  be  forgiverij 
is  a  public  and  not  a  fecret  fin.     Some  fins  can  be 
committed  only  in  public.     The   fin  bf  (lander, 
for  inftance,  is  of  a  public  nature.     One  man  can- 
not flander  another  in   fecret.      The   effence    of 
dander  confifts  in   one  man's  fpeaking  falfely  of 
another,  with  a  view  to  injure  his  chara6ler.     But 
no  man  can  injure  another's  chara6ler,   without 
fpeaking  againft  it  in  public  :  or  at  leaft  fo  as  to  be 
heard  by  fomebody  befides  himfelf.     So  blafphe- 
my  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft  is  a  puhlic  and  not  2i  fe- 
cret fin.     When  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  commit- 
ted this  fin,  they  fpake  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft  be- 
fore a  multitude  of  people,  with  a  malicious  defign 
of  finking  his   charafter  and  miraculous    opera- 
tions, in  the  view  of  the  world.     And  no  man,'  at 
this  day,   can  be  guilty  of  the  unpardonaMe  fin, 
without   blafpheming  the'  Holy  Ghoft  in  public,  or 
fpeaking  againft  his  peculiar  operations,  in  the  hear- 
'  zng  0/ others.     The  Apoftle,  in  our  context,   cau- 
tions  chriftians   againft  praying  for  thofe   whom 
they  know  to  be  guilty  of  the  fin  unto  death.     "  If 
any  mdinfee  his  brother  fin  a  fin  which  is  not  unto 
desiih,  he  J}i all  afl,  ^nd  he  fhall  give  him  life  for 
them  that  fin  not  unto  death.     There  is  a  fin  un- 
'  to  death ;  1%  not  fay  that  he  JJiatt  pray  for  it."  This 
'  caution,  in  this  conneftion,  plainly  fuppofes,  that 
'  the  fin  unto  death  is  an   open,  puhlic  fin,  which  is 
\known  to  others,  as  weir  as  to  the  guilty  perfon. 

4.  ThQ 


SERMON      XVII.  413 

4.  The  fin  unto  death  cannot  be  committed, 
without  knowledge  of  a  certain  kind.  Some  fup- 
pofe,  that  high  attainments  in  human  learning,  and 
high  degrees  of  divine  illumination,  are  necefl'ary 
to  render  men  capable  of  committing  the  unpar- 
donable fin.  But  there  feems  to  be  no  ground  for 
this  fuppofition.  For,  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees, 
who  charged  Chrift  with  having  an  unclean  fpirif, 
and  blafphemed  the  Holy  Ghoft,  by  afcribing  his 
operations  to  the  power  and  agency  of  the  devil, 
appear  to  have  been  no  other  than  the  mofl;  igno- 
rant and  Jlupid  finners.  And  it  is,  indeed,  much 
eafier  to  conceive,  that  the  mofl  ignorant  and  Jlupid 
finners  fhould  be  guilty  of  committing  the  fin  un- 
to death  ;  than  to  conceive,  that  the  moft  enlighten- 
ed and  convinced  finners  fhould  openly  and  dire611y 
hlafpheme  the  ever  bleffed  Spirit. 

There  is,  however,  a  certain  kind  of  knowledge^ 
without  which  the  unpardonable  fin  cannot  be  com- 
mitted ;  1  mean  the  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Ghofl  and 
of  his  peculiar  operations.  In  the  economy  of  re- 
demption, it  is  the  peculiar  office  of  the  holy  Spir- 
it, to  beftow  fpiritual  gifts,  and  to  produce  holi- 
nefs  or  gracious  aflPeBions  in  the  human  heart. 
Accordingly  we  read,  "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is 
iove,  joy,  peace,  long-fuffering,  gentlenefs,  good- 
nefs,  faith,  meeknefs."  And  again  we  are  told, 
''To  one  is  given  by  the  Spirit  the  word  of  wif- 
dom  J  to  another  the  word  of  knowledge  by  the 

fame 


414  SERMON      XVII. 

fame  Spirit;  to  another  the  working  of  miracles  ; 
to  another  prophecy  ;  to  another  difcerning  of 
fpirits ;  to  another  divers  kind  of  tongues  j  to  a- 
noiher  the  interpretation  of  tongues.  But  all  thefe 
worketh  that  one  and  felf  fame  Spirit,  dividing  to 
every  man  feverally,  as  he  will."  Now,  a  perfon 
mud  know  thefe  peculiar  operations  of  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  in  order  to  be  capable  of  committing  the 
unpardonable  fin.  For  the  unpardonable  fin  con- 
fills  in  afcribing  any  of  thefe  peculiar  efteds  of 
the  divine  Spirit,  to  the  power  and  operation  of 
the  devil.  The  Scribes  and  Pharifees  committed 
the  fin  unto  death,  by  afcribing  the  fuper-natural 
efFe6l  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  to  an  unclean  fpirit  con- 
trary to  the  knowledge  and  convidion  of  their 
own  minds.  And  it  feems  as  though  nothing  but 
ignorance  prevented  Paul  from  committing  the  fin 
unto  death.  He  was  actually  guilty  of  blafphcmy. 
This  he  freely  acknowledges  ;  but  he  fays,  "I  ob- 
tained mercy,  becauje  I  did  it  ignorantly,  in  unbe- 
lief." Had  he,  contrary  to  his  own  knowledge, 
called  Chrift  an  impoftor,  and  afcribed  his  mira- 
cles, or  the  miracles  of  his  Apoftles,  to  the  power 
and  influence  of  Satan,  he  would  have  bkfphemed 
the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  put  himfelf  beyond  the  reach 
of  pardoning  mercy.  No  perfon  can  ignorantly 
commit  the  unpardonable  fin.  He  rauji  have  the 
knowledge  of  the  Holy  Ghojl  and  of  his  peculiar  opera- 
tions^  in  order  to  be  capable  of  committing  the  fin, 
which  fliail  never  be  for^^iven.     1  may  add, 

5.  The 


SERMON       XVII.         41$ 

5.  The  fin  unto  death  always  fprings  from  fen-» 
fible  enmity  againft  the  truth  and  fpirit  of  Chriftian- 
ity.  The  external  fin  of  blafphemy  has  its  origin 
in  a  corrupt  and  malignant  heart.  Hence  our 
Lord  declares,  that  "  out  of  the  heari  proceed 
evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornications, 
thefts,  falfe  witnefs,  biafphemies."  We  cannot  con- 
ceive, that  any  perfon  fhould  knowingly  blafpheme 
the  Holy  Ghoft,  by  afcribing  his  peculiar  opera- 
tions to  the  agency  of  the  devil,  unlefs  he  felt  fen- 
fible  enmity  of  heart  againft  the  Holy  Ghojl  and  his 
holy  operations.  But  we  can  eafily  conceive,  that 
finners  fliould  feel  fuch  enmity  of  heart  againft 
the  truth  and  fpirit  of  chriftianity,  as  knowingly 
and  malicioufly  to  blafpheme  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
Elymas  the  forcerer,  whilft  he  withftood  the  Apof- 
tles,  and  endeavored  to  turn  away  the  Deputy 
from  the  faith,  felt  a  malignant  oppofition  to  the 
truth  and  fpirit  of  the  gofpel.  This  appears  from 
hisi  own  conduft,  and  from  that  fevere  and  point- 
ed reproof,  which  was  given  him  by  Paul.  «  Then 
Saul  (who  is  alfo  called  Paul)  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  fet  his  eyes  upon  \\\m,  and  faid,  O  full  of 
all  fubtilty  and  all  mifchief,  thou  child  of  the  dev- 
il, thou  enemy  of  all  righteonfnefs ;  wilt  thou  not 
ceafe  to  pervert  the  right  ways  of  the  Lord  ?" 
Since  we  have  no  account  of  what  Elymas  did  or 
faid,  we  cannot  determine,  whether  he  did,  or  did 
not^  commit  the  unpardonable  fin  ;    but  this  we 

may 


4i6  SERMON     XVII. 

may  certainly  conclude,  that  his  heart  was  tnalig-. 
nant  enough,  to  blafpheme  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
Though  mere  malignity  of  heart  does  not  amount 
to  the  unpardonable  fin  ;  yet  nothing  but  malig- 
nity of  heart,  can  ever  prompt  any  perfon  know- 
ingly and  malicioufly  to  hlafphcme  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
by  afcribing  his  holy  and  fupernatural  operations 
to  the  agency  of  Satan. 

Having  defcribed  the  fin  unto  death,  I  proceed 
to  inquire, 

II.     Why  it  is  unpardonable. 

That  the  fin  we  have  defcribed  is  unpardona- 
ble, there  is  not  the  leaft  reafon  to  doubt ;  fince 
the  Apoftle  calls  it  thefinunto  death;  and  fince  our 
Saviour  fays,  it  fJiall  not  beforgiven^i  neither  in  this 
world,  neither  in  the  -world  to  come.  We  have  only 
to  inquire,  therefore,  why  this  fin  in  particular 
fhall  never  be  forgiven. 

Here  it  is  natural  to  obferve,  in  the  firft  place, 
that  blafphemy  againft  tKe  Holy  Ghoft  cannot  be 
unpardonable,  on  account  of  any  deficiency  in  the 
atonement  of  Chrift.  The  Scripture  reprefents 
Chrift  as  a  complete  and  all-fufficient  Saviour.  He 
is  faid  to  "  tafte  death  for  every  man."  He  is 
faid  to  be  "  the  lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away 
the  fin  of  the  world."  He  is  faid  to  be  "  the  pro- 
pitiation for  the  fins  of  the  whole  world."  And 
it  is  faid,  that  "  his  blood  cleanfeth  from  all  fin." 
By  dying  the  juft  for  the  unjuft,  he  made  a  com- 
plete 


SERMON       XVIL  417 

plete  atonement  for  all  mankind,  and  rendered  it 
confident  with  the  charafter  and  governmetit  of 
God,  to  forgive  the  greateji  as  well  as  the  fmallejl 
finners.  Though  one  lin  may  be  greater  than 
another,  and  though  blafphemy  againft  the  Holy 
Ghoft  may  be  the  greateft  of  all  fins ;  yet  the  blood 
of  Chrift  is  as  fufficient  to  cleanfe  from  this^  as 
from  any  other  fin.  This  fin,  therefore,  cannot 
be  iKipardonable,  on  account  of  any  deficiency  iri 
the  atonement  of  Chrift. 

And  it  is  no  lefs  evident,  in  the  next  place,  that 
it  cannot  be  unpardonable,  on  account  of  any  in- 
furmountable  difficulty  in  the  way,  of  bringing  the 
guilty  perfon  to  repentance.     It  is  true,  fome  fin^ 
ners  are  more  bardened  than  others,  and,  perhaps, 
blafphemers  are,  of  all  finners,  the  moft  hardened 
and  obftinate ;  y^et  there  is  no  reafon  to  imagine, 
that  God  is  unable  to  conquer  the  ftouteft  human 
heart.     He  fubdued  the  malignant  heart  of  Manaf- 
fah.     He  foftened  the  hard  heart  of  the  murmur- 
ing Jews  in  Babylon,     He  cleanfed  the  foul  heart 
of  Mary  Magdalene.     And,  what  is  ftill  more  ftrik- 
ing,  he  awakened,  convinced,  and  converted  Paul, 
who  had  been  an  injurious  perfeciitor,  and  a  pro= 
fane  blafphemer,     God  is  able,  in  the  day  of  his 
power,  to  make  any  finner  willing  to  repent.     If 
he  faw  fit  to  pardon  blafphemers  againft  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  he  could  and  would  bring  them  to  unfeign- 
ed repentance.     It  is  not,  therefore,  in  the  leafi 
E  E  e  degree 


4r8  SERMON       XVII. 

degree  owing  to  any  peculiar  Or  rrffarmotinfable 
difficulty  in  the  w^y  of  Gad's  bringing  blafp/miers 
to  repentance,  tliat  the  fin  dgaihft  thfe  Holy  Ghof^ 
is  unpardonable.  ..     •  2.      .  . 

But  if  the  atonement  of  Ch'rift  be  fufncient  for  the 
pardon  of  the  greateft  fins,  and  if  God  be  able  to 
bring  the  g1-eate'fl:  finhers  ib  repentance,  ^'hy  is' the 
particular  fin  of  blafphemy  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft 
unpardonable  ?  I  anfwer,  Becaufe  it  Hath  plcafed 
God,  by  a pofuive  Determination,  to  make  it  Jo.  And 
though  we  may  not  be  able  to  comprehend  all  the 
reafons,  which  moved  him  to  make  this  determina- 
tion ;  yet  there  appears  to  be  one  plain  and  fuffi- 
cient  reafon,  for  his  abfolutely  refufing  to  pardon 
any  perfon,  who  hlafphemeth  the  Holy  Ghojl.  It  is 
the  natural  tendency  of  afcribing  the  peculiar  op- 
erations of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  to  the  power  and  agen- 
cy of  Satan,  to  prevent  the  fpread  of  the  Gofpel, 
and  the  converfion  of  finners.  To  fay^  that  Chrift, 
who  had  the  Spirit  without  meafure,  wrought  all 
his  miracles  by  the  influence  of  Satan,  had  a  di- 
re6l  tendency  to  deftroy  his  religion,  and  to  make 
bim  appear,  in  the  eye  of  the  world,  as  a  vile  and 
odious  impoftor.  To  fay^  that  the  Apoftles,  who 
went  forth,  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
to  preach  the  gofpel  and  to  work  miracles,  were 
infiigated  and  aflifted,  by  the  power  of  the  Devil, 
had  the  fame  tendency  to  defeat  their  whole  de- 
fign;  for  they  had  no  higher  credentials  of  their 

divine 


SERMON      XVIL  ^ij 

divine  miffioft,  than  the  miraculous  gifts  of  the 
Spirit,  and  the  efficacy  of  the  Gofpel  upon  the 
hearts  of  men.  To  fay  at  this  day,  when  there  is 
a  great  elTufion  of  the  Spirit,  and  a  great  revival  of 
religion,  that  thefe  eflFe6ls  are  owing  to  the  poy;er 
and  delufion  of  Satan,  is  diredly  calculated  to  pre- 
vent the  fpread  of  chriftianity  and  the  falvation  of 
finners.  And  toafcribe  the  peculiar  operations  of 
the  Spirit  to  the  influence  of  the  Devil,  in  any  fut- 
ure period,  muft  equally  tend  to  fubvert  the  evi- 
dence and  defign  of  the  Gofpel.  Therefore,  tQ 
keep  the  world  in  awe,,  God  has  fet  a  dreadful 
mark  of  diftin6lion  upon  Blajphcmy  againft  the  Ho- 
ly Ghoft,  and  made  it  Deatij,  without  reprieve  \ 

IMPROVEMENT. 

1.  It  appears  from  the  defcription,  which  has 
been  given  of  the  unpardonable  fin,  that  the  two 
noted  paflages,  in  ihe  fixth  and  tenth  of  He- 
brews, liave  no  referetice  tp.it-  To  make  this 
appear,  it  is  ,neceffary  to  recite  thefe  texts  at  large, 
and  confider  them  diftin6lly.  TJae  firft  is  this  : 
''For  it  isimpoffibje  for  thole  that  ,\^ere  once  en- 
lightened, and  have  tailed  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and 
were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  And  have 
.tailed  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of 
the  wo,rld  tp.coijiej  If  they  ihall  fall  away,  to  re- 
new them  again  unto  repentjance;  feeing  they  cru- 
cify jinto  themfdves  the  St^i  of  God  afrefh,  and 

put 


^29  SERMON       XVII, 

put  him  to  an  open  fhame."  The  fecond,  which 
follows,  is  very  fimilar.  "  For  if  we  fin  wilfully 
after  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
there  remainelh  no  more  facrifice  for  fins,  But  a 
certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery 
indignation,  which  fhall  devour  the  adverfaries. 
He  that  defpifed  Mofes'  law  died  without  mercy 
under  two  or  three  witneffes.  Of  how  much  forer 
punifliment,  fuppofe  ye,  fliall  he  be  thought  wor- 
thy, who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God, 
and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith  he  was  fanftified,  an  unholy  thing,  and 
hath  done  defpite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace." 

Thefe  texts  have  often  been  fuppofed  to  be  de- 
fcriptive  of  the  unpardonable  fin;  and  in  this  view, 
they  have  given  great  diftrefs  to  awakened  finners, 
laboring  under  a  deep  fenfe  of  their  own  vilenefs 
and  the  divine  difpleafure.  But  there  appears  to 
be  no  reafon  to  underftand  thefe  paffages  in  this 
fenfe.  There  is  a  Very  great  diffimilarity  between 
the  fins  here  defcribed,  and  that  which  has  been  de- 
fcribed  in  this  difcourfe.  The  fins  here  defcribec^ 
appear  to  be  fecret  fins;  but  the  unpardonable 
fin  can  bq  committed  in  public  only.  The  fins  here 
defcribed  appear  to  be  fins  of  the  heart;  but  the 
unpardonable  fin  is  a  fin  of  the  tongue.  The  fins 
here  defcribed  appear  to  confift  in  internal  oppo- 
fnion  to  truth  and  holinefs  ;  but  the  unpardonable 
fi.n  confifts  in  nothing  but  blafphemy  dire6lly  point- 

edl 


SERMON    XVir.  421 

jcd  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft.  In  fhort,  there  is  no 
mention,  nor  defcription  of  the  unpardonable  fin 
in  thefe  paflages,  and  therefore,  there  is  no  ground 
to  fuppofe,  that  the  Apoftle  is  here  fpeaking  to 
Jtnners^  and  warning  them  againft  the  iln  of  blojphe- 
my  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft;  which  confifts  in  afcrib- 
ing  his  peculiar  operations  to  the  power  and  agen- 
cy of  Satan.  But  on  the  other  hand,  the  Apoftle 
appears  to  be  fpeaking  to  faints,,  and  warning  them 
againft  the  guilt  and  danger  of  final  Apnjlafy.  This 
is  the  fin,  which  he  exprefsly  mentions,  and  which 
is  peculiar  Xo  faints.  Though  finners  may  quench 
the  Spirit,  ftifle  conviBions,  and  run  to  the  great- 
eft  excefs  in  wickednefs ;  yet  they  cannot  irrecov- 
erably fall  away,  this  fide  of  eternity.  ManafTah, 
Mary  Magdalene,  and  many  other  loofe  and  aban- 
doned finners,  have  been  converted  from  the  er- 
ror of  their  ways,  and  brought  to  genuine  repent- 
ance. But  //"real  faints  ftiould  be  guilty  of  falling 
away  from  the  faith  and  praBice  of  chriftianity, 
they  would  fin  beyond  repentance  and  pardon. 
Accordingly  the  perfons,  whom  the  Apoftle  ad- 
drefles  in  thefe  paflfages,  appear  to  be  real  faints; 
for  none  but  fuch  ever  arrived  at  thofe  high  at- 
tainments, which  he  exprefsly  mentions.  It  is  pe- 
culiar to  faints,  "  to  receive  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  ;  to  be  divinely  enlightened  ;  to  tafte  of  the 
heavenly  gift,  to  be  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghoft; 
to  tafte  the  good  word  of  God  and  the  powers  of 

the 


422 


SERMON     XVn. 


the  world  to  come."    Perfons  of  this  chara6ler,  may 
be  properly  warned  of  the  danger  of  falling  away. 
It  is  the  language  of  both  the  Old  and  New  Tef- 
tament,  that  if  real  faints  fliould  renounce  religion, 
they  would  be  infallibly  loft.     The  Prophet  Eze- 
kiel  fays,  "  When  the  righteous  man  turneth  away 
from  his   righteoufnefs,  and  committeth   iniquity, 
and  doeth  according  to  all  the  abominations  that 
the  wicked  man  doth,  fhall  he  live  ?    All  his  right- 
eoufnefs that  he  hath  done  fhall  not  be  mention- 
ed :  in  his  trefpafs  that  he  hath  trefpaffed,  and  in 
the  fin  that  he  hath  finned,  in  them  (hall  he  die." 
Our  Lord  fays,  "  If  a  man  abide  not  in  me,  he  is 
caft  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is  withered  :  and  men 
gather  them,  and  caft  them  into  the  fire,  and  they 
are  burned."     And  Paul  fays,  "  I  keep  under  my 
body,,  and   bring  it  into   fubjeftion,  left  by  any 
means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myfelf 
fhould  be  a  caft-away."     It  appears  from  thefe  re- 
prefentations,  that  if  VGdX  faints  fliould  totally  apof- 
tatize  from  their  faith  and  profefTion,  they  would 
never  be  recovered  from  their  apoftafy,  but  event- 
ually perifb.     And  this  is  the  very  fentiment  con- 
tained in  the  paffages  under  confideration.     But 
Come  may  alk,  Is  not  the  danger  of  faints'  falling 
away,  inconfiftent  with  the  doQirine  of  their  final 
perfeverence  ?    1  anfwer.  No.     David  was  in  dan- 
ger of  being  flain  by  Saul,  who  determined,  if  pof- 
liblcfl  to  take  away  his  life.     And  he  realized  his 

dangerg 


SERMON      XVir.  4% 

danger,  when  he  faid,  "Surely  I  fhall  one  day  per- 
ifli  by  the  hand  of  Saul."  And  there  is  no  doubt 
but  he  would  have  aftually  fallen  by  tlie  hand  of 
Saul,  if  he  had  not  taken  peculiar  carfe  and  pre- 
caution, to  efeape  his  fubtil  ftratagems  and  vio- 
lent aflaults.  But  all  the  while  Saul  was  purfuing 
David,  and  attempting  to  deftroy  him,  it  was  ab- 
folurely  certaifi,  that  t)avid  fhould  live,  and  fuc- 
€eed  him  on  the  throne  of  Ifrael.  For  God  had 
anointed  David,  ta  be  ruler  over  his  people,  and 
had  prorhifed  to  put  the  reins  of  government  into 
his  hands.  So  God  has  promifed  to  keep  all  true 
faints  from  aftual  apoftafy,  and  to  conduft  them 
fafely  to  his  heavenly  kingdom.  But  though  the 
power  and  faithfulnefs  of  God  be  engaged  in  their 
favor;  yet  they  mufl:  watch,  arid  pray,  and  take 
heed,  left  they  fall.  And  upon  this  principle,  the 
Apoftle  folemnly  warns  them,  in  the  texts  under 
confideration,  not  againft  the  unpardonable  fin 
in  particular;  but  againft  the  fin  of  final  apoftafy, 
or  a  total  renunciation  of  chriftianity, 

2.  If  what  has  been  faid  is  true,  then  finner* 
have  no  ground  to  imagine,  that  they  have  com- 
mitted the  unpardonable  fin,  becaufe  they  have 
inwardly  oppofed  God,  and  refifted  the  ftrivings 
of  the  Spirit.  No  inward  exercifes  of  heart, 
however  ftrong  and  fenfible  and  criminal,  ever 
amount  to  the  fin  unto  death;  which  is  an  ex- 
ternal fin  of  the  tongue.    Though  finners  under 

the 


434^  SERMON      xvii. 

the  drivings  of  the  Spirit,  do  actually  feel  enmi- 
ty, againft  God,  and  fenfibly  refift  conviftionsj 
yet  fo  long  as  they  fupprefs  their  feelings,  and  nev- 
er utter  theiii  in  Uafphemy  againfl  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
they  do  not  (in  unto  death;  All  finners  are  totally 
depraved.  They  have  a  carnal  mind  which  is  en- 
mity againfl  God,  not  fubjeft  to  his  law,  neither 
indeed  can  bei  It  is  their  nature,  therefore,  al- 
ways to  refift  the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  endeavor  to 
ftifle  convi8ions.  They  hate  the  light,  and  are  ex- 
tremely unwilling  to  come  to  the  light,  left  their 
hearts  fhould  be  difcovered,  and  their  deeds  re- 
proved. But  under  the  awakening  and  convinc- 
ing influences  of  the  Spirit,  they  are  obliged  to 
come  to  the  light ;  and  in  this  fituation,  it  is  as  nat- 
ural for  their  hearts  to  rife  in  direft  and  violent 
oppofition  to  God  and  divine  truth,  as  for  a  corrupt 
fountain  to  fend  forth  corrupt  ftreams.  There 
are,  indeed,  no  thoughts  nor  exercifes  of  heart  too 
malignant,  for  them  to  feel,  in  the  clear  view  of 
their  gnilt  and  danger.  They  mzty  hate  their  own 
exiftence,  and  wifli  to  be  annihilated.  They  may 
hate  the  divine  exiftence,  and  wifli  to  dethrone  and 
deftroy  the  Moft  High.  But  neither  thefe,  nor  any 
other  internal  exercifes  of  the  carnal  mind,  partake 
of  the  nature  of  the  unpardonable  fin  ;  which  ef- 
fcntially  confifts  in  biafphemous  words,  and  not  in 
blafphemous  thoughts.  There  is  reafon  to  believe^ 
that  fome  perfons,  who  have  felt  the  moft  malignant 

£xercife5 


Sermon     xvii. 


425 


cxercifes  of  heart,  have  notwithfianding  obtained 
the  pardoning  mercy  of  God.  It  is  certain,  how- 
ever, that  feme  eminent  chriftians  in  appearances 
have  given  this  account  of  themfelves;  and  there 
is  nothing  in  Scripture  nor  reafon,  to  contradift 
their  account.  Though  it  be  extremely  criminal 
to  quench  the  Spirit  and  ftifle  conviftions;  yet 
there  is  nothing  unpardonable  in  fuch  inward  ex- 
ercifes  of  heart.  Thofe  finners,  therefore,  who 
are  confcious  of  the  moft  malignant  feelings  to- 
wards God  and  divine  obje6ts,  have  no  right  to 
conclude,  that  they  have  committed  the  fin  unto 
death,  and  put  themfelves  beyond  the  reach  of 
diyine  mercy. 

3.  if  what  has  been  faid  is  true,  then  it  is  alto- 
gether criminal  for  any  to  defpair  of  falvation,  who 
have  not  committed  the  unpardonable  fin.     Since 
God  has  promifed  to  pardon  all  penitent  finners,  ex- 
cept hlafphemers  againfl  the  Holy  Ghofl,  it  mufl  be 
altogether  criminal  in  any  others,  to  defpair  of  for- 
givenefs,  on  account  of  the  greatnefs  of  their  guilt. 
So  long  as  finners  remain  fecure  and  flupid,  they 
are  too  apt  to  prefuirie  upon  the  mercy  of  God ;  but 
when  they  are  awakened  to  attend  to  their  hearts^ 
and  to  the  nature,  number,  and  aggravations  of  their 
fins,  they  are  too   prone  to  defpair  of  falvation. 
They  appear  to  themfelves  fo  vile  and  guilty,  that 
they  indagine  a  holy  and  juft  God,  mujl  make  thera 
F  r  f  completely 


426        Sermon    xvii, 

completely  and  eternally  miferable.  But  thefe  ip^^ 
prehenfions  are  altogether  groundlefs  and  crimin"- 
al.  What  if  they  have  caft  off  fear,  and  reftrain- 
ed  prav'er  ;  what  if  they  have  ^Valked  in  the  way^ 
of  their  hearf,  ^rnd  in  the  fight  of  their  eyes ;  what 
if  they  have  faid  to  God,  Depart  froiii  lis,  we  de- 
fire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways ;  what  if  they 
have  hated  inftruftron,  and  defpifed  reproof;  whali' 
if  they  have  refifted  the  Spirit,  and  rejected  the 
counfel  of  Gad  again!!  then:^felves;  yea,  what  if  in 
reality  th^y  are  the  very  chief  of  finrters;  yet  if 
they  nozu  heartily  repent,  and  return  to  God  upon 
hi's  own  terms,  he  will  freely  and  abundantly  par- 
don. For  he  makes  no  diftin61ion  between  grea& 
(inner J  and  finally  in  the  offers  of  falvation.  He 
freely  pfamifes  forgivenefs  and  acceptance  to  alt 
who  repeiir,  and  fubmit  to  the  terms  of  life.  "Come 
now,  and  let  us  reafon  together,  faith  the  Lord  :' 
though  your  fin's  be  SiS  fear  let,  they"  fhall  be  as  white 
asfnow;  though  they  be  red  like  crimfon,  they  fliall 
be  as  xuocl."  The  more  the  guilt  of  finners  has 
abounded,  the  more  the  grace  of  God  can  abound 
in'  their  forgivenef?.  Thofe,  who  have  indulged 
the  mod  virulent  enmity  againft  God,  and  the 
caufe  and  friends  of  Chrift,  may,  like  penitent 
Paul,  obtain  mercy.  Thofe,  \Vho  have  long  abuf- 
ed  the  patience  of  God,  and  grown  gray  in  their 
fins,  may,   like  penitent  Manaffah,  be  received  at 

the 


SERMON      XVII.  42; 

the  eleventh  hour.  The  vileft  finner,  upon  re- 
pentance, may  turn  the  greatnefs  of  his  guilt  into 
^n  argument  of  mercy,  and  in  the  language  of  Da- 
vid fay,  "  Lord,  pardon  mine  iniquity,  for  it  is 
great"  To  defpair  of  falyation,  therefore,  on  ac- 
count of  aggravated  guiltj  is  extremely  criminal  in 
ihe  moil  ill-deferving  finners.  Their  defponden- 
cy  is  a  reproach  both  to  tjiie  mercy  and  faithful- 
nefs  of  God.  It  is  fo  far  from  being  an  expref- 
fion  of  real  humility,  that,  on  the  pt|ier  hand,  it  is 
a  real  juftification  of  their  prefent  impenitency  and 
unbelief.  Jt  is  a  pra6lical  declaration,  that  they 
would  rather  it  fhould  be  owing  to  pafi,  than  to 
prejent  ol^ftin.acy,  that  they  are  denied  divjne  mer- 
cy. But  God  has  ordered  it  fo  in  the  gofpel,  that 
jiothing  h^JLipreJent  oppofition  to  the  offers  of  life, 
can  exclude  the  nioft  unwort\iy  and  guilty  finner 
from  tjie  kingdom  of  heaven.  All  things  are  rea- 
dy on  God's  part ;  and,  therefore,^  let  finners,  in- 
ftead  of  murmuring  apd  defponding,  "  hope  in  t^e 
Lord ;  for  with  the  Lord  tliere  is  mercy,  and  with 
him  is  plenteous  redemption." 
,.  4.  If  blafphemy  againfl  the  Holy  Ghoil.  flmll 
. never  be  forgiven ;  then  it  ferioufly  concerns  all 
finners  to  beware  of  conqjmitting  this  unpardona- 
ble fin.  It  appears  from  what  has  been  faid,  that 
3t  is  a  fin,  which  may  be  committed,  at  this  day,  as 
well  as  in  the  primitive  days  of  chriftianity.     It 

confifts 


42»         SERMON      XVIL 

confifts  in  afcribing  the  peculiar  operations  of  the 
Holy  Ghoft,  to  the  power  and  agency  of  Sa« 
tan.  And  though  the  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
have  long  fince  ceafed ;  yet  his  gracious  and  fane- 
tifying  infirtiences  ftill  continue.  There  have  been 
many  remarkable  feafons  of  the  outpourings  df 
the  Spirit,  in  thefe  latter  ages.  And  fliould  fucH 
a  feafon  conie  again,  in  this  land,  when  the  awak- 
ening, convincing,  converting,  and  comforting  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit,  fhould  be  very  common 
and  very  powerful ;  and  fhould  any  virulently  op- 
pofe  this  good  work  of  the  good  Spirit,  and  know- 
ingly afcribe  it  to  the  pov/er  and  delufioh  of  Satan  ; 
there  is  no  reafon  to  doubt  but  they  would  blaf- 
pheme  the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  bring  upon  themfelves 
unpardonable  guilt.  It  behoves  finners,  therefore, 
to  keep  at  the  greateft  diftance  from  this  fatal  fin. 
Let  theni  avoid  all  appearance  of  it,  and  (hun  eve- 
ry way  of  finning,  which  leads  to  it,  or  flands  more 
nearly  connefted  with  it.  In  particular,  let  them 
beware  of  defpifing  religion;  of  trifling  with  the 
nanie  of  God  ;  and  of  profaning  his  day,  his  houfe, 
1his  word  and  facred  ordinances.  The  tranfitioii 
is  eafy  from  thefe  fins  to  the  fin  unto  death.  Thofe 
who  have  habituated  themfelves  to  defpife  and 
profane  divine  objefts  in  general,  are  in  peculiar 
danger  of  hlafpkeming  the  Holy  Ghoft  in  particu- 
lar, whenever  they  have  an  opportunity  of  feeing 


SERMON      XVII. 

his  peculiar  and  powerful  operations  upon  the 
hearts  of  men.  Let  no  finners,  therefore,  dare 
to  trifle  with  facred  things ;  left  they  fhould  be 
left  in  awful  judgment  to  themfelves,  to  fpeak  0 
word  againft  the  Holy  Ghoft^  which  is  Deaih  with- 
Qijt  reprieve ! 


SERMON 


i<:;>:::><xxx:;-::x><x;x::><>:o<:::<x:-<>::>:;xx?<xx?<^<:>:>-':>::^^ 

SERMON    XVIII. 

■■^^--^•x^x>0<xxO''O'<S'°x>:>:.'^■■•x><       '  ■ 

.The  true  Charadler  of  good 
Men  delineated. 

" — ^xxxxxx-:4S>>«^<<S)»x>c<x:;o-^---— 

Romans    vii.  i8. 

I'or  to  -will  is  prefent  with  me  ;    hut  how  to  perform 
that  which  is  good,  I  find  not, 

XT  is  a.queflian  among  expofitors, 
whether  the  Apoftle  is  here  exprefling  the  pious 
feelings  of  his  own  heart ;  or  whether  he  is  here 
defcribing  the  feelings  of  a  perfon  deftitute  of 
grace.  To  dctern:iine  this  point,  it  feems  necef- 
fary  to  examine  the  context,  which  is  the  beft  way 
to  difcover  his  true  meaning.  From  the  feventh 
to  the  ninth  verfe,  he  defcribes  the  exercifes  of 
his  own  mind,  before  he  was  awakened  from  his 
carnal  eafe  and  ftupidity.  "  What  (hall  we  fay 
then  ?  Is  the  law  fin  ?  Nay,  I  had  not  known  (in- 
but  by  the  law :  for  I  had  not  known  luft,  except 

the 


43^  SERMON      XViil. 

the  law  had  faid,  Thou  {halt  not  covet,     Bui  fin 
taking  occafion  by  the  commandment  wrought  iii 
me  all  manner  of  concupifcence^      For  without 
the  law  fin  was   dead.     For  1  was  alive  without 
the  law  once."    This  exaHly  agrees  with  another 
defcription,  whi  \  he  gives  of  himfelf,  while  in  the 
ftate  of  nature.     « If  any  man  thinketh,  that  he 
hath  whereof  he  might  truft  in  the  flefh,  I  more; 
Circumcifed  the  eighth  day,  of  the  ftock  of  Ifraelj 
of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  an  Hebrew  of  the  He- 
brews,   as   touching   the   law  a  Pharifee  ;    Con- 
cerning zeal,  perfecuting  the  church  ;    touching 
the  righteoufnefs  which  is  in  the  law,  blamelefs." 
Sucft  was  his  charaOter  and  his  opinion  of  himfelfj 
before  he  knew  the  grace  of  God  in  truth.     But 
after  his  converfion,  his  views  and  feelings  were 
totally  altered.      And  this   change  he   defcribesj 
from  the  ninth  to  the  eleventh  verfe.     ''But  when 
the  commandment  came,  fin  revived,  and  I  died. 
And  the  commandment  which  was  ordained  to  life, 
1  found  to  be  unto  death.     For  fin  taking  occa- 
iion  by  the  commandment,  deceived  me,  and  by 
it  flew  me."     What  follows  in  this  chapter  is  a  de- 
fcription of  himfelf  as  ai  real,  though  imperfe^l 
faint.     "  Wherefore  the  law  is  holy ;  and  the  com- 
mandment holy,  juft,  and   good.     Was  then  that 
which  is  good  made  death  unto  me  ?  God  forbid. 
TBut  fin,  that  it  might  appear  fin,  working  death  in 
me  by  that  which  is  good ;  that  fin  by  the  com- 
mandment 


Sermon    xviil.         43^ 

tnandment  might  become  exceeding  finful.     For 
we  know  that  the  law  is  fpi ritual :  but  I  am  carnalj 
fold  under  fin.     For  th^t  which  I  do,  I  allow  not : 
for  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not ;  but  what  I  hate, 
that  do  I.     if  then  1  do  that  which  I  would  notj 
I  confent  unto  the  law  that  it  is  good.     I^ow  then^ 
it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  fin  that  dwelleth  in 
me.     For  I  know  that  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flefh, 
there  dwelleth   no  good  thing :  for  to  will  is  pref- 
ent  with  me ;    but  how  to  perform  that  which  is 
good,  I  find  riot."     Who  can  doubt,  whether  the 
Apoflle  is  here    fpeaking  of  himfelf  ?  or  whether 
he  is  fpeaking  of  himfelf  as  a  real  chriftian  ?  He 
fays,  he  does  not  allow  of  any  evil  in  himfelf,  but 
fincerely  wifhes   to  avoid  all  fin.     This  is  more 
than  any  unrenewed  finner  can  fincerely  fay,  af- 
ter he  has   been  awakened  to  fee  his  own  heart. 
The  Apoflle,  therefore,  muft  be  fpeaking  of  his 
own  gracious   exercifes,  in  thefe  verfes.     And  if 
this  be  true,  it  is  eafy  to  underfland  what  he  means 
in  the  words,  which  have  been  fele6led  as  the  foun- 
dation of  the  enfuing  difcourfe.     "  To  will  is  pref- 
ent  with  me ;  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is 
good,  I  find  not."     This  is  the  language  of  every 
chriftian,  who  can   fincerely   fay,  I  defire  to  be 
perfectly  holy;   but   I  find  by   daily  experiences 
that  I  fall   fhort   of  fuch  a  defirable    attainment. 
Agreeably,  therefore,  to  the  fpirit  of  the  text,  I 
ihali, 

Gog  I.  Shov7 


434  SERMON       XVIlt 

I.  Show  that  faints   defire  to  be  perfeQly  holy,- 

II.  Show  that  they  are  not  perfeft  in  holinef:^. 

III.  Show   wherein  their  imperfcQion  in  holi^ 
nefs-  confifts. 

I.  I  am  to  fliow,  that  faints  defire  to  be  pcrfe6l- 
]y  holy, 

Holinefs  is  defirable  in  its  own  nature,  and  nons 
can  poffefs  the  leaft  degree  of  it,  without  defiring 
to  poffefs  it  in  perfeftion.     The  truth  of  this  will 
appear  from  two  things,  which  are  effential  to  all 
real  faints.     One  is,   that  they  frncerely  love  the 
divine  law.     The  Apollle  fays,  "1  delight  in  the 
law  of  God  after  the  inward  man."   David  frequent- 
ly makes  the  fame  declaration,     "  1  delight  to  do 
thy   will,   O  my    God  j    yea,    thy    law  is  within 
my  heart.     O  how  I  love  thy  law  !  it  is  my  medi- 
tation  all   the  day.      I    love   thy   commandments 
above. gold;  yea,  above  fine  gold."     And  he  fays 
of  every  good  man,  "His  delight  is  in  the  law  of 
the  Lord  ;  and  in  his  law  doth  he  meditate  day  and 
night."     This  is  the  law  of  perfection,  or  at  leaft 
includes  it,  which  faith  to  every  perfon,    "  Thou 
ih-alt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  foul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with 
all  thy  flrength;  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyfelf."    No 
man  can  love  this  law,  without  defiring   that  per- 
fe8:  holinefs,  which  it  abfolutely  enjoins.     Thofe, 
therefore,  who  fincerely  defire  to  obey  the  law  of 
God  in  its  full  extent,  muft  neceffarily  defire  to 

be 


SERMON       XVIII.         435 

jbe  entirely  conformed  to  the  divine  will,  which 
is  the  perfeftion  of  holinefs. 

Befides,  faints  not  only  love  the  law  of  perfec- 
tion, but  heartily  hate  every  tranfgreffion  of  it.   The 
Apoftle  exprefsly  declares,  that  finis  the  objeft  of 
his  perfeft  abhorrence.     "  For  that  which  I  do,  I 
allow  not:  for  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not;  but 
what  I  hate^  that  do  I.     Now  it  is  no  more  I  that 
do  it,  but  fin  that  dwelleth  in  me."     This  is  alfo 
the  language  of  the  pious  Pfalmift.     "  I  halt  vain 
thoughts.    I  hutc  and  abhor  lying.     I   hate  every 
falfe  way."     Such  are  the  feelings  of  all  thofe,  who 
have  been  renewed  in  the  temper  of  their  minds, 
and  have  put  off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds.   They 
hate  fin  in  every  form,  and  abhor  it  in  themfelves 
as  much  as  in  others.     Thus  it  appears  from   the 
love,  which  good  men  have  to  the  divine  law,  and 
from  the  hatred,  which  they  have  to  every  tranf- 
greffion of  it,  that  they  do  fincerely  defire  to  be 
perfe6lly  holy.     But  yet, 

II.  They  are  imperfe6l  in  holinefs. 

The  Scripture  reprefents  the  mod  eminent  faints, 
as  falling  fliort  of  perfe£lion  in  this  life.  Solomon 
fays,  "There  is  no  man  that  finneth  not."  Again 
he  fays,  "  There  is  not  a  juft  man  upon  earth  that 
doeth  good,  and  finneth  not."  And  he  fcruples 
not  to  afk  this  ferious  queftion,  "  Who  can  fay,  I 
have  made  my  heart  clean,  I  am  pure  from  my  fin  ?"• 
The  Apoftle  John  aflerts,  "If  we  fay  we  have  no 

finj 


436  SERMON     XVIIL 

fin,  we  deceive  ourfelves,  and  the  truth  is  not  lu 
us."  Thefe  divine  declarations  concerning  the 
Jmperfe6lion  of  good  men,  entirely  harmonize  with 
their  own  declarations  concerning  themfelves.  Job 
fays  unto  God,  "Behold,  I  am  vile  ;  what  Ihall  I 
anfwer  thee  ?  I  will  lay  mine  hand  upon  my 
mouth.  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of 
the  ear;  l^ut  now  mine  eye  feeth  thee.  Where- 
fore I  abhor  myfelf,  and  repent  in  dull  and  afhes." 
David  bitterly  bewails  his  remaining  corruption 
of  heart.  "Mine  iniquities  are  gone  over  mine 
head :  as  an  heavy  burden  they  are  too  heavy  for 
me.  My  wounds  {link,  and  are  corrupt,  becaufe 
of  my  foolifhnefs.  I  am  troubled,  I  am  bowed 
down  greatly :  I  go  mourning  all  the  day  long." 
When  Ifaiah  had  a  clear  view  of  the  divine  puri- 
ty and  majefty,  he  cried  out,  "  Wo  is  me  !  for  I  am 
undone  ;  becaufe  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and 
dwell  among  a  people  of  unclean  lips :  for  mine 
pveshave  feen  the  king,  the  Lord  of  hofls."  Though 
Paul  once  thought  he  was  blamelefs,  yet  after  he 
became  an  eminent  chriftian,  and  was  better  ac- 
quainted with  his  own  heart,  he  had  a  deep  fenfe 
of  his  great  imperfeClion  in  holinefs.  He  fays, 
«« Not  as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either 
were  already  perfeft.  I  fee  another  law  in  my 
members  warring  againft  the  law  of  my  mind,  and 
bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  fin  which 
is  in  my  niembers.     O  wretched  man  that  lam! 

who 


SERMON       XVIII.         437 

who  fiaall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death?" 
Thus  it  appears  from  what  God  fays  of  faints  and 
from  what  they  fay  of  them  felves,  that  none  have 
attained,  and  none  will  attain,  to  perfe6l  holinefs 
in  this  life. 

I  proceed  to  fl^ow, 

III.  Wherein  they  come  fhort  of  perfeQ;  holi- 
nefs. 

This  is  a  point  no  lefs  difficult,  than  important, 
to  determine.  There  are,  however,  but  thxec  dif- 
ferent fuppofidons  to  be  made  concerning  the  im« 
perfe6lion  of  faints.  The  firfl  is,  that  all  their 
moral  exercifes  are  perfedly  holy, 'but  too  low 
iand  languid.  The  fecond  is,  that  all  their  moral 
exercifes  are  partly  holy  and  partly  Iinful.  The 
third  is,  that  fome  of  their  moral  exercifes  are 
perfedly  holy  and  fome  are  perfectly  finful.  Let 
us  examine  each  of  thefe   fuppofitions   diftinftly. 

Firjl.  Let  us  inquire,  whether  the  imperfe6lion 
of  faints  can  confift  in  the  mere  iveaknefs  of  their 
holy  exercifes.  Thofe,  who  embrace  this  opin- 
ion, fuppofe  that  faints  are  always  in  the  exer- 
cife  of  grace,  and  that  all  their  gracious  ex- 
ercifes are  perfeftly  holy.  But  if  this  be  true, 
it  is  extremely  difficult  to  difcover  wherein  they 
are  morally  or  criminally  imperfe6l.  Suppofing 
their  afFeftions  are  indeed  low  and  languid,  how 
does  this  appear  to  be  a  criminal  defe6l  or  imper- 

feBion  ?     There  can  be  no  criminality  without 

fome 


438  SERMON      XVIil. 

fome  pofitively  bad  intention  or  defign.  But  there 
is  no  pofitively  bad  defign  or  intention  in  loving 
either  God,  or  man,  in  a  low  and  languid  manner. 
Though  faints  are  confcious,  that  their  love  to 
God  and  other  holy  exercifes  are  not  fo  lively 
and  vigorous  at  one  time,  as  at  another;  yet  they 
never  feel  to  blame  merely  on  account  of  the 
weaknefs  or  languor  of  their  religious  afFe6lions. 
It  is  impoffible  in  the  nature  of  things,  that  good 
men  fhould  always  have  the  fame  high  and  ar- 
dent exercifes  of  grace.  The  ftrength,  or  weak- 
nefs,  of  their  holy  affeftions,  depends  on  a  great 
variety  of  caufes,  which  are  entirely  under  the  di- 
vine control.  God  often  calls  them  to  different 
duties,  places  them  under  different  circumftances, 
and  prefents  different  objects  to  the  view  of  their 
minds.  All  thefe  things  inuft  have  fome  effeft  up- 
on their  feelings,  and  ferve  to  ftrengthen  or  weak- 
en their  exercifes  of  grace.  Though  our  Saviour 
was  as  free  from  moral  imperfeftion  at  one  time 
35  at  another ;  yet  his  holy  and  heavenly  affec- 
tions were  not  always  equally  ftrong  and  vigorous, 
fometimes  he  was  all  calmnefs  and  ferenitv  ;  but 
at  other  times  he  feems  to  be  in  raptures.  At 
ane  time,  he  groaned  in  fpirit ;  but  at  another^  he 
rejoiced  in  fpirit.  At  one  time,  he  appeared  to 
he  in  an  extafy  of  joy ;  but  at  another,  to  be  in  an 
agony  of  forrow.  Hence  it  is  evident  that  his  ho- 
ly affe6lions  v/ere  fometimes  higher  and  fometimes 

lower  '^ 


SERMON      XVIII,  439 

lower ;  and  yet  always  entirely  free  from  the  leaft 
moral  defe8:  or  imperfeflion.  This  clearly  proves, 
that  the  imperfeBion  of  his  followers  cannot  con- 
fift  in  the  mere  weaknefs  of  their  gracious  exer- 
cifes. 

Befides,  faints  are  eonfcious  of  fomething  more 
than  mere  languor   or  coldncfs   in  their  religious 
affcBions.      They  find  in  their  hearts  feeUngs  di- 
jcctly  contrary  to  loA^e,  meeknefs,  ge n tie nefs,  pa- 
tience,   fubmiflion,    and  every  other    exercife  of 
pure  benevolence.     Hence  they  know,  that  their 
moral  imperfection    confifls   in   fomething   totally 
different  from  mere  weaknefs  of  holy  affe6tions. 
Add  to  this,  the  impoffibility  of  their   feeling  a 
criminal   weaknefs   in   their  truly  holy  exercifes. 
They  cannot  tell,  nor  can   they  be  told,  hozo  high 
their  religious  affeftions  muft  be,  in  order  to  be 
perfeB.     If  perfection  of  holinefs  eonfifted  in  the 
height  or  Jlrengih  of  affe8ion,  we  might  expeft  to 
find  fome  ftandard  in  Scripture,   by  which  to  de- 
termine whether  our  holy   exercifes  were  perfeCl 
or  not.     But  we  find  no  certain  degree  of  ftrength 
or  ardor  in   holy  affe8ions,   which   the  Scripture 
reprefents,  as  the  only  point  of  perfe6lion.     The 
fecred  writers  clearly  dillinguifh  between  holy  and 
unholy  affeBions,  but  never  intimate  that  one  ho- 
ly affeclion  is  more  perfect  than  another.     They 
reprefent  all  true  love  to  God  as  fuprenie.     Our 
Saviour  fays  no  man  can  love  him  truly,  unlefs 

he 


440  SERMON      XVill. 

he  love  him  fupremely;  that  is,  more  than  father 
Or  mother,  brother  or  fifter,  wife  or  children,  houf- 
es  or  lands.     The  truth  is,  whenever  any  perfoni 
really  loves  God,  he  loves  him  for  y/hat  he  is  in 
himfelf,  and  confequently  he  loves  him   fupreme- 
]y  ;  which  is  loving  him  as  much  as  it  is  poffible  to 
love  him,  with  his  prefent  attention  to,  and  knowl- 
edge of,   the  divine   charafter.      Whoever  loves 
God,  loves  him  with  all  his  heart,  and  to  the  ex- 
tent of  his  natural  capacity.     Hence  every  faint  is 
confcious,   that  he  feels  perfectly  right,  fo  long  as 
he  is  confcious,  that  he  loves  God  for  his  real  ex- 
cellence.    And  he  cannot  tell,  nor  can  he  be  told^ 
wherein  he  is  to  blame  for  not  feeling  a  higher  or 
ftronger  affeBion  tow^ards  God,  than  he  aftually 
fceh.     He  knows,  and  others  know,  that  if  he  had 
more  knowledge  of  God,   he  would   have  more 
love  to  him.     For  every  holy  affeftion  is  meafur- 
ed  by  the  obje6l  of  the  afFeftion.     One  faint  may 
love  God  more  than  another,  becaufe  one  faint  may 
have  more  knowledge  of  God  than  another.    And 
fo  the  fame  iaint  may  love  God  more  at  one  time, 
than  at  another,  becaufe  he  has  more  knowledge  of 
God,  at  one  time,  than  at  another  ;  or  which  is  the 
fame  thing,  he  may  attend  to  more  of  the  divinei 
perfettions,  and  to  more  difplays  of  thofe  perfec- 
tions, at  one  time,  than  at  another.     This  is  the 
only  difference  between  the  love  of  faints  and  the 
love  of  angels  in  heaven.     Their  knowledge  is  the 

meafurd 


SERMON       XVIII.         4441, 

meafure  of  their  holinefs,  and  rvot  the  height  or 
ardor  of  their  affedions.  For  if  the  height  or  ar- 
dor of  their  afFeftions  was  to  determine  their  char- 
afters,  who  could  fay,  that  any  faint  or  angel  was 
ever  perfeftly  holy  ?  There  is  no  certain  height  or 
Jirength  of  affeftion  pdinted  out  in  Scripture,  by 
which  we  can  detfermine,  that  any  creature  in  the 
univerfe  loves  God  enough.  Hence  it  is  very 
evident,  that  the  moral  imperfeftion  of  faints  in 
this  life,  cannot  confift  in  the  rhere  languor,  cold- 
nefs,  or  weaknefs  of  their  gracious  exercifes. 

Secondly,  Let  us  inquire,  whether  their  imper- 
fedion  can  arife  from  their  moral  aflPeftions  being 
partly  holy  and  partly  finful.  If  their  afFeftions 
were  of  fuch  a  mixed  nature,  they  certainly  would 
be  criminally  imperfe6l.  For,  if  each  of  their 
moral  afFeftions  could  be  partly  holy  and  partly 
finful,  then  each  would  have  fomething  in  it  of 
moral  perfection  and  of  moral  imperfeftion.  But 
can  we  conceive  of  fuch  a  mixture  of  moral  good 
and  evil,  in  one  and  the  fame  exercife  of  heart  ? 
Let  us  purfue  the  inquiry.  Can  the  affeftion  of 
love  be  partly  love  and  partly  hatred  to  God  ?  Can 
the  exercife  of  repentance  be  partly  love  and  part- 
ly hatred  to  fin  ?  Can  the  exercife  of  faith  be  partly 
love  and  partly  hatred  to  Chrift  ?  Can  the  grace  of 
fubmiffion  be  partly  refignation  and  partly  oppofi- 
tion  to  the  will  of  God  ?  This  is  no  more  conceiva- 
ble, than  thai  a  volition  to  walk  Ihould  be  partly  a 
Huh  defire 


44^2  S  E   R    M    O    N       XVIII, 

defire  to  move  and  partly  a  defire  to  ftand  ftill.  It  is 
abfolutely  abfurd  to  fuppofe,  that  any  voluntary  ex- 
ercife  fhould  bfe  pai-tly  holy  and  partly  finful.    But 
let  us  confult  Scripture  as  well  as  reafon  upon  this 
fubjeft.     Our  Lord  declares,  that  "  No  man  can- 
lerve  God  and  mammon."     The   Apoftle    Jaraes^ 
alTerts,  that  "  The  friendfhip  of  the  world  is  en- 
mity with  God."     And  the  Apoftte  John  fays,  "  If 
any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is- 
not   in   him."      Thefe  declarations   fuppofe,   that' 
faints  cannot  have  aifeftions  partly  holy  and  part- 
ly finful.     For  if  they  could,  they  might  love  God 
and  mammon  at  the  fame  time.     We  read,  "  A 
double   minded   man  is  unliable  ih  all  his  ways." 
This  charafter  muft  belong'  to  the  beft  faint  in  the 
world,  if  all  his  affeftions  are  partly  holy  and  part- 
ly finful.     He  muft  both  obey  and  difobey  God 
in  all  his  ways.     And,  upon  this  Rippofition,  hovr 
can  any  faint  eVer  determine,  whether  He  is  more 
criminal  at  one  time  than  another  ?  or  whether  he 
ever  loves  God  fupremfely  ?  If  all  his  affedions  are 
partly  holy  and  partly  finful,  how  can  he  deter- 
mine, whether  any  one  of  his  affeftions  has  more 
holinefs  than  fin  in  it  ?  Or  how  can  he  determine, 
that  he  ever  loves  God  more  than  he  hates  him  ?' 
He  can  find  no  rule  to  judge  by  iti  the  Bible  ;  and 
if  he  depends  upon  his  feelings,  thefe,  by  the  fup* 
pofiiion,  are  always  partly  finful,  and  confequent- 
ly  partial.     But  do  chriftians,  in  faft,  find  fuch  a 
difficulty  in  determiningj  whether  they  are  more 

criminal 


«    E    R    M   O    N      XVIII.  443 

criminal  at  one  time  than  at  another?  or  whether 
they  love  God  lefs  at  one  time  than  another  ?  We 
venture  to  fay,  that  they  do  not.  They  find  a 
fenfible  difference  in  the  miure  of  their  affeBions, 
at  different  times  ;  and  this  alTords  them  their  heft 
evidence,  that  they  are  real  friends  to  God,  and 
ftand  entitled  to  his  favor.  The  notion,  therefore, 
that  the  irnperfeftion  of  faints  arifes  from  their  mor- 
al affedions  being  all  partly  holy  and  partly  finful, 
is  contrary  to  reafon?  Scripture,  and  their  own  ex- 
perience.   But, 

Thirdly.  If  the  moral  imperfe£lion  of  good  men 
cannot  arifefrom  their  affedions  being  too  low 
and  languid,  nor  frorn  their  being  partly  holy  and 
partly  finful;  then  it  muft  follow^  that  their  im- 
perfection arifes  from  their  having  fome  finful  as 
well  as  fome  holy  affe6lions.     If  all  their  moral  ex- 
ercifes  were  perfeftly  holy,  they  could  not  be  juft- 
ly   confidered  as  morally  imperfeft  creatures  in 
this  life,  any  more  than  in  the  next.     But  if  only 
a  part  of  their  moral  exercifes  are  perfeftly  holy, 
and  the  reft  are  perfeftly  finful,  then  they  are  crim- 
inally imperfeO:.     For  all  unholy  affeftions  in  them 
are  nolefs,  if  not  more  criminal,  than  they  would 
be   in  other  men.     But  to  make  it  more    fully  ap- 
pear, that  the  imperfeQion   of  faints  does  confift 
in  the  inconjlancy  of  their  holy  affeBions,  or  in  their 
having  fome  bad  as  well  as  fome  good  affections,  I 
v/ould  obferve, 

1.  That 


444  SERMON       XVIH. 

1.    That  faints  do  have  fome  perfcHly  good  affeC" 
tions.     God  who  knows  their  hearts,  approves  of 
fome  of  their  affeftions.     He  approved  of  Abel's 
faith.      He    approved    of   Abraham's    lelf-denial. 
He  approved  of  David's  good  defign  of  building 
the  temple.     And  we  find  many  other  inftances  of 
God's  approving  of  the  defires,  affeflions,  and  pur- 
pofes  of  good  men.      But  God  is  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  approve  of  any  thing  really  finful.    There 
muft  be,  therefore,  fome  perfedly  holy  affeftions 
in  the  hearts  of  faints.     And  this  they  know  to. 
be  true,  by  their  own  experience.    They  are  con- 
fcious  of  loving  God,  and  of  defiring  to  promote 
his  glory.    Jofhua  was  confcious  of  fuch  exercifes, 
when  he  faid,  "  As  for  me  and  my  houfe,  we  will 
ferve  the  Lord."    Peter  appears  to  have  been  con- 
fcious of  fmcere  love  to  Chrift,  when  he  anfwer- 
ed  his  trying  queftion,  with  fo  much  folemnity  and 
confidence.   «  Yea,  Lord,  thou  knoweft  all  things; 
thou  knoweft  that  I  love  thee."    Paul  alfo  was  con- 
fcious of  having  fonie    right  affeftion    of  heart, 
■when  he  faid  in  the  text,   "  For  to  will'  is  prefent 
with  me  J  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good, 
I  find  not."     Saints,  then,  with  all  their  imperfec- 
tions, have  fome  perfe£lly  right  and  holy  exercifes 
of  heart,  which  meet  the  approbation  of  God  and 
pf  their  own  confciences.     But, 

2.    It  is  no  lefs  evident,  that  they  have  fome  af- 
fedionsj  which  are  altogether  unholy  and  finful. 

Thef<5 


SERMON       XVIIL         445 

Thefe  they  not  only  often  feel,  but  often  cxprefs. 
Mofes  was  angry;  for  he  fpake  unadvifedly  with 
his  lips.  Hezekiah  was  proud ;  for  his  heart  was 
lifted  up,  and  he  boafted  of  his  riches.  And  Da- 
vid acknowledges  that  he  was  envious  at  the  prof- 
perity  of  the  wicked.  AH  faints  are  confcious  of 
having  fuch  afFeQions  as  thefe,  "^vhich  are  perfeftly 
finful.  And  all  their  moral  imperfe6tion  confifls 
in  fuch  pofitively  evil  exercifes  of  heart.     For, 

3.  There  is  nothing  elfe,  which  prevents  their 
being  as  perfectly  holy  and  free  from  fin,  as  the 
faints  and  angels  in  heaven.    This  the  Apoftle  moft 
clearly  illuftrates  by  his  own  feelings.     He  was 
capable  of  obferving  the  inward  nv^tions  and  ex- 
ercifes of  his  mind,  and  of*'relating  them  clearly 
and  intelligibly.     Let  us  hear  what  he  fays  in  the 
text  and  context.     <«  For  to  will  is  prefent  -with  me, 
but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  /  find  not. 
For  the  good  that  /  woidd  I  do  not  ;    but  the  evil 
that  I  woidd  not^  that  do  I.     I  find  then  a  law,  that 
when  I  woidd  do  good,  evil  is  prejent  with  me,     I 
fee  another  law  in  my  members  warring  againft 
the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivi- 
ty to  the  law  of  fin,  which  is  in   my  members.'* 
Here  the  Apoftle  tells  us,  that  he  had  good  affec- 
tions fometimes,  and  then  he  really  defired   and 
intended  to  do  good;  but  yet  he  did  not  fulfil  his 
refolutions.     The  reafon  was,  that  when  the  time 

canie  in  which  he  intended  to  do  certain  good 

deedsj 


44«  SERMON     XVIH. 

deeds,  evil  afFe6iions  were  prefent  with  him,  and 
prevented  him  from  doing  the   duties,  which  he 
had  previoufly  refolved   to  do.     His  bad   affec- 
tions prevented  his  haying  good  affeftions.     For, 
if  his  good  affeftions  had  continued,  nothing  could 
have  prevented  him  fr.om  perfomn-ing  what  he  had 
intended  to  perform.     According  to  his  own  ac- 
coant  of  the  exercifes  of  his  heart,  his  good  exercif- 
es  excluded  had  ones,  ^^d  his  ^^iaffeQ;ions  exclud- 
ed good  ones.     His  holy  affeftion?  were  inconftanf^ 
being  interrupted  by  the  intervention  of  oppofite 
views  and  feelings.     He  complains  of  nothing  h\x^ 
hod  exercifes  of  heart,  and  feems  to  be  confident^ 
that,  if  only  thefe  could  be  removed,  he  fhould  be 
perfetlly  holy  and  hap^y.  "  O  wretched    man  that 
i  am !  who  flaall  deliver  me  from  the  bpdy  of  this 
death  ?"    It  further  appears  from  what  he  fays  con- 
cerning his  different  affc8.ion§,   that  his  holy  an4 
linful  exercifes  were  entirely  diftinft  from  each 
other.      "  If  then  I  do  that  which  I  would  not,  it 
is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  fin  that  dwelleth  in 
me."     His  meaning  cannot  be,  that  he  did  what  he 
xvoald  not,  in  the  time  of  a6ling.     For  thi.s  would 
imply,  that  he  did  not  aQ  voluntarily;  that  is,  did 
BOt  aft  aiall.     He  muft  intend,  therefore,  by  this 
mode  of  expreffion,  that  he  voluntarily  did  what 
he  had  before  determined  not  to  do;    or  that  he 
freely  violated  his  own  virtuous  refolutions.    This, 
Indeed,  is  the  natural  confeguen.ee  pf  having  good 

?ffe6lionc 


§   E  ' S[   M   Or   N      XVIII.  44f 

crfFeBions  and  bad  afFeBions  one  after  another,  in 
alternate  fucceflion.  If  now  we  may  judge  cF 
other  faints  by  Paul,  We  may  fafely  conclude,  that 
their  moral  imperfeBioti  wholly  confifts  in  fheir 
pofitively  finful'  exercifes  of  heart.  And  this  is 
agreeable  to  the  whole  current  of  Scripture,  which 
reprefents  holinefs  as  exciludihg  (in,  and  fin  as  ex- 
cluding holinefs,  in  the  human  heart.  When  Gbd 
prediQed  the  conVerfion  of  the  Jews  in  Babylon, 
he  promifed  to  take  azuay  their  Itony  hearts',  by  giv'- 
ivg  them  hearts  of  flefh.  And  when  faints  are  ex- 
horted to  grow  in  grace,  they  are  commanded  to 
put  azvay  bad  affe6lions,  by  extrcijing good  ones.  Thuj 
we  read",  "If  ye  through  the fpirii  do  mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  ye  fhall  live."  The  Apoftle 
fays  to  this  chriftians  at  Corinth,  "  fJaving  there- 
fore thefe  promifes,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanfe 
6urjelves  from  all  fikhinefs  of  the  flefii  and  fpiiit, 
ferJcBing  hol'inefs  in'  the  fear  of  the  Lord."  This 
fappofes,  that  the  increafe  of  holinefs  would  necef- 
farily  be  the  decreafe  of  fin.  The  fame  idea  the 
Apoftle  more  fully  expreffes  in  the  fourth  chap- 
ter of  his  Epifile  to  the  Ephefians.  "  Put  of  con- 
cerning the  formtir  converfation,^Ae  old  man,  which 
is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  luCts;  and 
he.  rent-wed  in  the  fpirit  of  your  mind;  and^zf.^  on 
the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  right- 
eoufnefs  and  true  holinefs."  We  find  a  fimilar 
exbortatioti  to  faints  in  the  third  chapter  of  Col 

loffians. 


448  SERMON      XVlii. 

lollians.     "  But  now  ye  d\^o put  off  2W  thefe,  anger, 
wrath,  malice,  blafphemy,  filthy  communications 
out  of  your  mouth."     And  in  order  to  this,  "  Put 
on,  therefore,  as  the  eleft  of  God,  bowels  of  mer- 
cies,  kindnefsj   humblenefs    of  mind,    meeknefsj 
long-fufFering.     And  above  all  thefe  things,  ^«^  on 
charity  which  is  the  bond  o^ perfe^nefs"     The  A- 
poftle  Peter  alfo   fpeaks  in  nearly   the  fame   lan- 
guage to  all  true  believers.     ''And  befide  this," 
iays  he,  "  add  to  your  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue 
knowledge,  and  to  knowledge  temperance,  and  to 
temperance  patience,  and  to  patience  godlinefs,and 
to  godlinefs  brotherly  kindnefs,  and  to  brotherly 
kindnefs  charity*      For  if  thefe  things  be  in  you,  and 
Ahund,"  that  is,  continue,   "  they  make  you  that  ye 
iliall  neither  be  barren   nor  imfruiful"     The  plain 
import  of  all   thefe  exhortations  isj  that  if  faints 
\vere  only  free  from  all  fmful  exercifes,  they  would 
be  perfeftly   holy ;    and  that  the  only  way  to  be 
free  from  all  fmful  exercifes  is,  to  live  in  the  con- 
fiant  exercife  of  holy  affeftions.     Here   then  the 
exprefs   declaration  of  the  Apoftle  Paul  comes  in 
Vv'ith  peculiar  weight  and  authority.     "  This  I  fay 
then,   Walk  in  the  fpirit^  and  ye  fhall  not  fulfil  the 
tuft  of  the  flefli."     So  long  as  ye  exercife  holy^af- 
feQions,   finful  ones  fliall  find  no  place  in  your 
hearts.     Hence  it  clearly  appears,  that  all  the  im- 
perfn6lic>n  of  faints  confifts  in  pofitively  evil  affec- 

tionS) 


SERMON    XVIIL  449 

tions,  and  not  in  the  languor,  ordefeft  of  their  tru- 
ly holy  and  gracious  exercifes. 

Though  this  may  be  a  juft  and  fcriptural  account 
of  the  imperfeftion  of  faints,  yet  fince  feme  very 
plaufible  objections  may  be  made  againft  it,  they 
Ihall  be   treated  with  all  the  refpeft  they  deferve. 

It  may  be  faid,  that  faints  are  not  confcious  of  fuck 
an  alternate  fucceffion  in  their  good,  and' bad  exercifes^ 
as  has  been  reprefented;  and,  therefore,  it  is  to 
be  prefumed,  that  their  good  and  bad  exercifes  are 
united  and  blended  together. 

It  has  been  obferved,  in  this  difcoiirfe,  that  fin 
and  holinefs  are  diametrically  oppofite  affe61ionsj 
and  cannot  be  united  in  one  and  the  fame  volition. 
And  it  has  been  further  obferved,  that  the  Scrip- 
ture reprefents  tliem  as  totally  diftinft  exercifes  of 
heart.  Thefe  confiderations  afford  a  much  ftrong- 
er  proof,  that  all  holy  afFeftions  are  diftind  from 
all  unholy  ones,  than  the  mere  want  of  confciouf- 
nefs  of  this  diftinflion  affords  to  the  contrary. 
We  all  know,  that  our  thoughts  are  extreinely  rapid 
in  their  fucceffion.  We  cannot  afcertain  how 
inany  thoughts  we  have  in  one  hour,  nor  even  in 
one  minute.  And  our  affe^ions  or  volitions  may  be  as 
rapid  in  their  fucceffion  as  our  thoughts  ;  yea,  it  i% 
Very  evident,  that  they  are  too  rapid  for  obfer- 
vation.  For,  though  we  never  a6l  without  a  mo* 
tive  ;  yet  we  often  a6i:  without  being  able,  the  next 
moment  after  aQion,  to  tell  the  motive  from  which 
I  I  i  wfe 


450         SERMON      XVlit 

we  acled.  This  fhows,  thrat  the  ftrcceffion  in  otif 
volitions  as  well  as  in  our  thoughts  is  fometimes  tooi 
rapid  to  be  diftinftiy  remarked.  Let  it  be  ad- 
mitted, thepefore,  that  laints  are  not  always  con- 
fcious  of  the  alternate  fucceffion  of  holy  and  un- 
holy exercifes  in  their  own  minds,  this  will  not 
prove,  that  there  is  no  fuch  fucceffioh.  The  plain 
reafon  is,  the  fucceflion  is  too  rapid  to  be  obferv- 
ed.  ■  If  any  are  difpofed  to  doubt  of  the  force  of 
this  anfwer,  let  them  try  to  diftinguifh  the  fuccef- 
lion  of  their  own  thoughts  and  volitions,  and  it  is- 
prefumed,  they  will  be  convinced  of  its  being  ut- 
terly imprafticable.  Of  courfe,  they  will  be  oblig- 
ed to  renounce  the  obje6lion,  arifing  from  expe- 
rience, againft  the  alternate  fucceflion  of  virtuous 
and  finful  exercifes,  in  the  minds  of  true  believers,. 

It  may  be  faid,  that  according  to  the  tenor  of 
this  difcourfe,  faints  may  be  fometimes  entirely  ho- 
ly, and  fometimes  entirely  finful.  But  this  is  ex- 
tremely abfurd,  iDecaufe  if  it  be  true,  xh^n  faints  are 
fometimes^nner5,  and  juft  like  the  reft  of  the  wick- 
ed world. 

This  objeftion  is  more  ambiguous  than  perti- 
nent. Saint  fignifies  a  holy,  and  finner  a  finjult 
chara6ler.  But  a  fingle  volition,  or  a  fingle  ex- 
ternal aftion,  ?does  not  form  a  charaEer,  which  is 
always  founded  on  a  courfe  of  conduft.  One 
man  is  called  induftrious,  and  another  is  called  idle. 
But  the  chara8.er  of  the  induftrious  man  is  found- 
ed 


SERMON      XVIII.         451 

ed  on  a  general  habit,  and  not  on  a  particular  in- 
ftance  of  induftry ;  and  the  chara6ler  of  the  idle 
man  is  founded  on  a  general  habit,  and  not  on  a  par- 
ticular inftance  of  idlenefs,  Thefe  cafes  will  ap- 
ply to  faints  and  linners.  A  faint  is  one,  who  hab- 
itually obeys,  though  he  fometimes  difobeys,  the 
divine  commands.  A  finner  is  one,  who  habitu- 
ally difobeys  God,  and  neyer  does  any  thing  pleaf- 
ing  in  his  fight.  Though  a  faint,  therefore,  may 
fometimes  feel  and  a6l  juft  like  a  finner;  yet  he 
deferves  not  the  charaHer  of  a  finner,  becaufe  he 
habitually  feels  and  a6ls  yery  differently  from  a 
total  enemy  to  God.  An  induflrious  man  may 
be  idle,-  and  feel  and  aft  juft  like  ^n  idle  man,  for 
a  few  moments  or  a  few  hours ;  but  it  would  be 
extremely  abfurd  to  give  him  the  charaEer  of  an 
idle  man,  on  account  of  fuch  particular  inftances 
of  idlenefs.  He  has  the  habit  of  induftry,  and  will 
continue  liabitually  induftrious,  through  the  courfe 
of  his  life.  So  the  faint,  wlio  is  imperfeft,  and 
fometimes  feels  and  aQs  like  a  (inner,  will  continue 
habitually  holy  and  obedient  to  the  end  of  his 
days.  Now,  the  Scripture  charafterizes  faints  and 
^nners,  upon  the  ground  of  their  habitual  feel- 
ings and  conduct ;  and,  therefore,  faints  do  not 
forfeit  their  character  hy  their  moral  imperfec- 
tion, though  it  confifts  in  feeling  and  afting  fome- 
times like  finners.  It  is  probable,  the  divine  con- 
^itution  does  not  admit  of  any  long  interval  be- 
tween 


^52  SERMON      XVIII. 

tween  one  holy  exercife  and  another,  in  the  hearts 
of  faints.  Perhaps,  they  feldom  negleB:  any  duty, 
or  commit  any  tranTgreflion,  without  having  Tome 
holy  exercifes,  which  condemn  and  oppofe  their 
linful  feelings  and  conduS.  It  is  to  be  prefum* 
ed,  that  they  never  live  months,  npr  weeks,  nor 
days,  deflitute  of  right  affeftions.  And  very  oftenj 
their  holy  and  unholy  exercifes  are  as  nearly  co- 
exiftent  as  they  can  be.  But  though  there  may  be 
fome  moments  or  hours,  in  which  they  are  totally 
finful,  as  well  as  fome  in  which  they  are  entirely 
holy;  yet  fuch  finful  feafons  do  not  in  the  leaft 
militate  againft  their  chriftian  charafter,  but  only 
exhibit  painful  evidence,  that  they  are  really  in  a 
ilate  of  moral  imperfe6lion. 

It  may  be  faid,  that  if  faints  are  fometimes  total- 
ly dejlititte  of  gracious  affeBion^  then  they  aBuallyJall 
from  grace  ;  which  is  contrary  to  the  general  ten- 
or of  Scripture. 

We  have,  indeed,  fufficient  evidence  in  the 
word  of  God,  that  all  true  believers,  who  have 
been  regenerated  and  juftified,  fhall  receive  the 
end  of  their  faith,  even  the  falvatipn  of  their  fouls. 
But  this  may  be  true,  though  the  imperfeftion  of 
faints  confifts  in  pofitively  evil  exercifes,  which 
for  the  time  exclude  holy  afFcOions.  It  is  the 
conftitution  of  God,  that  where  he  has  given  one 
holy  exercife,  he  will  give  another,  and  another, 
until  the  fubje6l  of  grz^ce  is  ripened  for  heaven. 

Bui 


SERMON      XVIII.  453 

But  God  has  no  where  promifed,  that  fuch  gra- 
cious exercifes  in  the  heart  of  the  true  believer 
Jhall  never  be  interrupted  by  finful  ones.  It  is, 
therefore,  no  more  inconfiftent  with  the  certainty 
of  the  final  falvaiion  of  faints,  that  their  exercifes 
of  grace  are  fometimes  interrupted^  than  that  they 
are  fometimes  low  and  languid.  God  can  as  eafily 
renew  a  train  of  holy  exercifes,  after  it  has  been 
interrupted,  as  he  can  revive  or  Jirengthen  a  train  of 
low  and  languifhing  affeftions.  The  truth  i^  the 
final  falvation  of  all  true  believers  depends  upon 
God's  v^orking  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do  of 
his  good  pleafure  ;  and  therefore  their  falvation  is 
abfolutely  certain,  whether  he  ccnjianily  produces 
holy  afFedions  in  their  hearts,  or  whether  he  fome- 
times rvithdra^'S  his  gracious  influences  from  them. 
It  is  fufficient  for  them  to  be  affured,  that  "He 
who  has  begun  a  good  work  in  them  will  perform 
it  until  the  day  of  jefus  Chrift." 

But  it  may  be  ftill  further  faid,  that  all  true  be- 
lievers have  a  principle  of  grace,  which  was  im- 
planted in  regeneration,  and  which  will  not  admit 
of  their  being  totally  deftitute  of  holinefs,  for  a  fin- 
gle  moment. 

In  anfwer  to  this  objeflion,  it  feems  neceffary 
to  examine  ihe  principal  palTages  of  Scripture,  up- 
on which  it  is  founded.  Thefe  are  fuch  as  the  fol- 
lowing. "  A  neiv  heart  alfo  will  1  give  you,  and 
a  new  fpirit  will  I  put  within  you :  and  I  will  take 

away 


4Si  SERMON       XVIIL 

&way  the  Jlony  heart  out  of  your  flefh,  and  I  will 
give  you  an  heart  of  fltjli.  That  which  is  born  of 
jhe  Spirit  h  Jpirit.  Whofoeyer  is  born  of  God 
doth  not  coramii  ftn;  for  his  feed  remaineth  in  him  : 
and  he  camot  fmt  becaufe  he  is  born  of  pod.  If 
any  man  be  in  Chrifl  he  is  a  ntw  creature  :  old 
things  are  pajfcd  away  ;  behold,  all  things  are  be- 
come new.  A  good  man.  put  of  the  good  treffure  of 
the  heart  bringeth  forth  good  things". 

Here  it  is  natural  to  remark?  in  the  firft  place, 
that  thefe  Jexts  cannot  mean,  that  a  principle  of 
holinefs  is  implanted  in  the  mind  in  regeneration. 
For  holinefs  is  loye,  and  loye  requires  no  other 
principles,  than  thofe  of  moral  agency,  which 
are  common  to  all  moral  agents.  A  finner  has  no 
need  of  a  neru  natural  principle,  in  order  to  exer- 
cife  holy  afFeftions ;  nor  is  any. fuch  principle  re- 
quired. All  that  the  divine  law  requires  of  any 
man  is  the  exercife  of  true  loye,  or  univerfal  be^. 
nevolence.  This  has  been  fliown  in  a  former  dif- 
courfe.^  If  thefe  texts,  therefore,  do  not  prove, 
that  faints  have  a  gracious  principle,  then  they  do 
not  prove,  that  they  are  always  in  the  aftual  pof- 
feffion  and  exercife  of  grace. 

The  next  remark  is,  that  the  pafTages  under  con- 

{ideration  prove  too  much,  and  of  confequenccj 

prove  nothing  to  the  purpofe,  for  which  they  are 

i^rqught.    They  prove,  if  taken  literally,  that  when 

the 

*  P<ige  265. 


§     :^     R     M     6     N       XVfiL         4sS 

the  heart  (yf  flefh  is  given,  the  heart  of  ftone  is 
totally  and  finally  removed;  that  when  a  man  ii 
born  of  the  Spirit,  all  his  moral  exercifes  become 
fpiritual  or  truly  holy;  that  when  a  man  is  made 
a  new  creature,  all  his  old  finful  exercifes  are  done 
away,  and  all  his  moral  afFeftions  become  new  ; 
that  when  the  treafure  of  the  heart  is  made  good, 
nothing  but  pure  holinefs  or  moral  goodnefs  can 
proceed  from  it.  In  a  word,  they  prove,  that  when 
once  the  good  feed  is  fown  in  the  heart,  it  remains 
and  produces  nothing  but  good  fruit.  But  how  is 
all  this  eonfiftent  with  the  truth,  which  has  been 
eftabliftied  in  this  difcourfe,  and  which  is  granted 
by  all  who  plead  for  a  principle  of  grace,  that  faints 
are  in  a  ftate  of  imperfeftion  and  have  the  re- 
mains of  moral  corruption  ?  We  muft,  therefore, 
Ipok  for  fome  different  interpretation  of  thefe  fig-* 
urative  expreflions  of  Scripture. 

This  leads  us  toobferve,  in  the  laft  place,  that 
thefe  texts,  in  their  true  meaning,  fuppbrt  the 
Very  fentiment,  which  they  are  fuppofed  to  refute. 
They  plainly  intimate,  that  regeneration  is  the  pro- 
du6lion  of  real  holinefs,  which  is  totally  diftinft 
from  fin,  and  can  never  be  united  or  blended  with 
it.  For,  if  the  giving  of  the  heart  of  flefh  be  the 
taking  away  of  the  heart  of  ftone,  then  the  heart 
of  ftone  and  the  heart  of  flefh  are  totally  diftin6l; 
if  that  which  is  born  of  the  flefh  is  flefh,  and  that 
which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  fpirit,  then  flefh  ancT 

fpirit 


456  S   fe    R    M   O    N     XVill. 

fpirit  are  totally  diftin6t ;  if  a  man's  becoming  a 
new  creature  removes  all  his  old  exercifes,  then 
his  new  exercifes  are  totally  diftinft  from  his  old; 
or  if  he  that  is  born  of  God  finneth  not,  becaufe 
his  feed  remainedi  in  him,  then  that  feed,  which 
bur  Saviour  calls  fpirit,  is  totally  diftinft  from 
fuch  (inful  exercifes,  as  all  muft  allow,  more  or 
]efs  prevail  in  the  heft  of  faints.  On  this  fuppo- 
fition,  that  grace  is  perfectly  pure  and  entirely 
diftinQ;  from  all  fmful  exercifes,  all  the  Scripture 
reprefentations  of  the  renovation  of  the  heart  may 
he  explained,  in  confiftency  with  the  moral  agen- 
cy and  with  the  moral  imperfedion  of  good  men. 
It  now  appears,  we  truft,  that  there  is  no  folid  ob- 
jedion  againft  thd  leading  fentiment  in  this  dif- 
courfe,  that  all  the  criminal  imperfeQion  of  faints 
ttonfifts  in  poiitively  finful  affeftionso 


SERMON 


^t'i^iJl'^tJ^i.MAjUKiiJ^'yS^tJKsAJ^iJ^ 


SERMON     XIX. 


The  true  Chara6ter  of  good 
Men  delineated. 

Romans    vii.  i8. 

For  to  will  is  prefent  with  me ;    but  how  to  ^erforftt 
tlidt  which  is  good,  I  Jind  not, 

JljLAVING  Ihown,  in  the  preceding  dif- 
courfe,  that  it  is  the  defire  of  faints  to  be  perfeft— 
that  notwithftanding  this  defire  they  are  ftill  im- 
perfeQ — and  that  their  imperfe6lion  confifts  in 
pofitively-  finful  exercifes,  it  only  remains  to  im- 
prove the  fubjeft,  by  drawing  a  number  of  infer- 
ences  from  it. 

Inference   i. 

If  the  imperfeftion  of  faints  confifts  in  the  incon- 
jlancy  of  their  holy   exercifes,  then  it  is  their  du- 
ty to  become  abfolutely  perfeft.     It  appears  from 
what   has  been    faid,    that    there    is    nothing    to 
K  R  k  prevent 


458  SERMON       XIX. 

prevent  their  reaching  perfeftion  in  this  life,  hut 
their  own  free,  voluntary,  finful  exercifes.  They 
"wodld  be  entirely  finlefs,  if  ihey  would  only  con- 
tinue to  exercife  juft  fuch  holy  afFeftions  as  they 
fomeiimes  do  exercife.  if  they  are  able  to  have 
one  good  affeflion,  why  not  another,  and  an- 
other, without  internaiflion  ?  And  if  they  are  able 
to  have  a  conftant  feries  of  good  afFcdions,  why 
are  they  not  under  moral  obligation  to  have  fuch 
a  feries,  and  to  be  uniformly  holy  ?  No  reafori 
can  be  given,  why  they  fhould  not  be  perfe6l, 
which  will  not  be  as  good  a  reafon,  why  they  fhould 
voluntarily  commit  fin.  But  who  can  believe,  that 
faint^  ought  to  commit  the  leaft  iniquity  ?  Though 
Xio  man  has  been  abfolutely  perfeft  in  this  life,  and 
though  it  is  very  evident,  that  no  man  ever  will 
be  fo  in  the  prefent  (late ;  yet  this  aflPords  not 
the  leaft  excufe  for  the  leaft  moral  imperfeBion. 
It  is  the  indifpenfable  duty  of  all  faints  to  keep 
themfelves  always  in  the  love  of  God,  and  to  be 
holy  as  he  is  holy,  and  perfeft  as  he  is  perfeft. 
They  cannot  fall  fllort  of  moral  perfeftion,  with- 
out exerciftng  pofitively  finful  afFedions,  which 
muft  be  condemned  by  the  divine  law,  and  by 
their  own  enlightened  confciences. 

InFERE.^CE     II. 

If  the  prefent  imperfedion  of  faints  confifts  in. 
the    inccnjlancy  of  their  holy   exercifes,  then  it  is 

eafy 


SERMON    XIX.  459 

eafy  to  conceive  how  they  will  all  be  equally  per- 
fect in  a  future   ftate.     The   Scripture  affures  us, 
that  all  true  believers  will  be  perfe6l!y  pure,  as  foorr 
as  they  are  abfent  from  the  body  and  prefent  with 
the  Lord.     We  read,   "  There  fhall  in  no  wife  en- 
ter into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  any   thing  that 
defikth,,  neither  whatfoever  worketh  abomination^  or 
maketh  a  lie''     Thofe,  who  have  already  reached 
the  manfions  of  the  blefled,  are  called  "  the  fpir- 
ks  of  juft  men  jnade  perfe^"      And  the  Apoftle 
tells  us  "  When  that  which  is  perfcch  is  come,  then 
that  which  is  in  part  fhall   be  done  away."     But 
how  can  all  true  faints  become  thus  equally  perjcB^ 
the  moment  they  arrive  at  the  kingdom  of  glory  ? 
They  will  enter  into  the  regions  of  light  ^vith  un- 
equal capacities,  with  unequal  knowledge,  and  with 
unequal   reafons  of  gratitude  and   praife.     Thefe 
inequalities  mull  lay  a  foundation  for  an  inequality 
of  holinefs  to  all  eternity.     Hov/,  then,  can  they 
all  be  equally  perfcEl^  while  they  are  unequally  holy  ? 
The  anfwer  to  this  is  eafy,  if,   their   imperfeClion 
will  ceafe^  the  moment  their  finful  exercifes  ceafe : 
and,  ifj  their  perfeftion  will  commence,  the  moment 
their  holy  exercifes  become  conjlant  and  uninter- 
rupted.     And  this  will   certainly   be   the   cafe,   if 
their   prefent  imperfeQion  wholly  confifts  in  the 
inconjlancy  of  their  holy  exercifes.     We  muft  fup- 
pofe,  that  all  their  pofitively  finful   exercifes  will 
ceafe,  before  they  are  admitted  into  the   immedi- 
ate 


46o  SERMON      XIX. 

ate  prefence  of  God,  and  as  foon  as  thefe  ceafcj 
their  holy  afFeQions  will  of  courfe  become  con- 
Jlant ;  and  that  conjlancy  of  perfeClly  holy  exercifesj 
mud  conftitute  finlefs  perfeQion.  In  this  way, 
the  leaft  faint  will  be  as  perfeft  as  the  greateft  ; 
and  the  greateft  will  be  as  perfeQ,  the  firft  mo- 
ment, he  enters  the  gates  of  Paradife,  as  he  ever 
will  be,  in  any  period  of  eternity.  Though  all 
the  inhabitants  of  heaven  will  inceffantly  make  ad- 
vances in  holinefs,  yet  none  will  make  advances 
in  perfe6tion,  which  effentially  and  neceffarily 
Confifts  in  the  coriflant  exercife  of  holy  afFe6lions.  • 

Inference  hi. 

If  the  imperfetlion  of  faints  be  owing,  not  to 
the  weaknefs.)  but  to  the  inconjlancy  of  their  holy  ex- 
ercifesj then  there  is  a  propriety  in  their  being 
called  perfeB^  notwithftanding  they  are  far  from 
being  free  from  moral  corruption.  The  Script- 
ure both  dire6lly  and  indiredly  reprefents  all  good 
men  as  perfe6l.  We  read,  "Noah  was  a  juft  manj 
and  per/eH  in  his  generations."  It  is  faid  of  Job, 
^That  man  was  perfeH  and  upright."  We  are 
told,  "  God  will  not  caft  away  a  perftB  man,  nei- 
ther will  he  help  the  evil  doers."  The  Pfalmift 
fays,  "  Mark  the  pcrfcB  man,  and  behold  the  up- 
right :  for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace."  Solo- 
mon obferyes,  "The  upright  fliall  dwell  in  the 


SERMON       XIX.         46i 

Jand,  and  the  perJeB  fhall  remain  in  it."  He  fays 
jigain,  "The  righteoufnefs  of  the  perfeH  fliall  di- 
jreft  his  way  :  but  the  wicked  fhall  fall  by  his  own 
wickednefs."  That  the  word  perfcH  is  here  uled 
\n  a  flria  and  proper  fenfe,  appears  from  other 
texts,  in  which  faints  arc  reprefented  as  having  a 
perfeH  heart.  We  read,  "  Afa's  heart  was  pcrfcH 
all  his  days."  Hezekiah  pleads  the  perfeftion  of 
his  own  heart  before  God.  "  I  befeech  thee,  O 
JLiOrd,  remember  now  how  I  have  walked  before 
thee  in  truth,  and  with  a  perfeH  heart"  The  Proph- 
et alfo  fays,  "The  eyes  of  the  Lord  run  to  and 
fro  throughout  the  whole  earth,  to  fliew  himfelf 
ftroTig  in  behalf  of  them  whofe  heart  is  perJcB.  to- 
wards him." 

Now,  if  all  good  men  have  fomc  holy  exercifes, 
which  are  entirely  pure  and  free  from  fin ;  there 
is  a  ftriB  propriety  in  calling  them  perJeB,  notwith- 
ftanding  all  their  remaining  impurity  and  imper- 
fe6tion.  Their  perfeBly  holy  affeftions  render  it 
as  proper  to  call  ih^m  perfeB  2is  their  totally  finful 
afFe6tions  render  it  proper  to  call  them  imperfcB, 
Since  they  have  fome  entirely  right  affe8ions,  they 
may  be  truly  called  Uamclefs^  harmkfs,  Jincere,  unde- 
jiled,  and  pure  in  heart.  But  if  their  holy  affeftions 
■were  always  too  low  and  languid^  or  were  always 
Tnixed  xuith  moral  impurity^  then  no  moral  perJeBion 
could  belong  to  their  charader.  And  if  this  were 
true,  there  could  be  no  propriety  in  calling  them 

perfeB^ 


462  SERMON      XIX. 

perfeBi,  or  in  ufing  any  expreffions,  which  convey 
this  idea.     But  if  all  their  moral  exercifes  are  per- 

fedly  holy,  except  thofe  which  are  totally Jinfid,  then 
it  is  altogether  proper,  that  they  fiiould  be  charac- 
terized by  their  bep.  affections,  which  conftitute 
their  moral  beaiUy  and  real  ptrfcUion. 

Inference   iv. 

If  the  imperfe6lion  of  faints  confifts  in  the  in- 
conjiancy  of  their  holy  exercifes,  then  it  is  eafy  to 
account  yor  their  fpiritiial  declenjions.  It  is  no  un- 
common thing  for  good  men  to  go  backward,  in- 
ftead  of  going  forward  in  religion.  This  is  gen- 
erally afcribed  to  the  languor  and  weaknefs  of 
l\\tir  gracious  exercifes,  or  to  the  want  of  ftrength 
and  vigor  in  \\\e\T  gracious  principle.  But  it  is  ex- 
tremely difficult  to  account  for  fuch  coldnefs  and 
barrennefs  in  chriflians,  ii  all  their  moral  exercifes 
are  pure  and  holy,  or  if  they  have  always  a  princi- 
ple of  grace,  upon  which  divine  objefts  muft  always 
make  fome  good  impreffion-  It  is,  thereforcj 
much  more  reafonable  to  fuppofe,  that  their  fpir- 
kual  declenfion  is  owing  to  the  mcr^^z/^  of  pofi live- 
ly finful  exercifes.  For,  as  thefe  increafe,  gracious 
exercifes  muft  neceffarily  decrcafc.  They  cannot 
love  God,  while  they  are  loving  the  world;  they 
cannot  ferve  God  while  they  are  ferving  mammon  ; 
and  they  cannot  mind  fpiritual,  while  they  are 
minding  earthly  things.    Spiritual  declenfion  ought, 

in 


SERMON      XIX.  46^ 

in  all  cafes,  to  be  afcribed  entirely  to  the  fetvnefs 
of  trracious  exercifes.     As  natural  coldnefs  in  win- 
ter  is  not  owing  to  the  diftance  of  the  fun  from  the 
earth,  but  to  the  fewnefs  and  oblique  direBion  of  its 
rays  which  fall  upon  h  ;  fo  fpiritual  coldnefs,  for- 
mality,  and   deadnefs  in  religion  is  not  owing  to 
the  languor  of  holy  exercifes,  but  to  ihtfezunefs  and 
interruption  of   right  affe6lions.      Saints  know  by 
experience,  that  while  their  attention  is  fixed  on 
divine  objefts  and   not  diverted,  and  while  their 
holy  afFeftions  continue  uniform  and  uninterrupt- 
ed,  they  find  the  greateft  fatisfaftion  and  enjoy- 
ment in  the   duties  of  devotion.     But  while  they 
mind  earthly  things,  and  eagerly  purfue   worldly 
obje6ls  and  enjoymentsj  they  find  their  graces  lan- 
guifli,  and  they  grow  cold  and  dead  to  every  thing 
of  a  fpiritual  and  divine  nature.     As  they  gener- 
ally grow  warm  and  lively  in  religion,  as  faft  as  their 
holy   exercifes  incfeafe;    fo    they  generally  grow 
cold  and  diillj  as  faft  as  their  love  to  God  is  inter- 
rupted by  their   love  to  the  world.     They  never 
ftand  ftill,  but  always  go  either  forward  or  back- 
ward in  their  religious  courfe.      When   they  go 
forward,   they  go  forward   of  choice ;    and  whefi 
they  go  backward,  they  go   backward  of  choice. 
Their  declenfion  is  altogether  voluntary,  and  en- 
tirely  owing  to   their  pofitively   finful   exercifes. 
It  is  true,  indeed,   fpiritual  li^ht  and  cortifort  do 
not  always  keep  pace  with  their  growth  in  grace  ; 

nor 


464  S   E    It    M   G    N     XlX. 

nor  do  rpiritual  darknefs  and  diftrefs  always  foUov^ 
their  declenfion  in  religion.  The  reafon  is,  light 
and  darknefs,  comfort  and  diftrefs,  do  not  imme- 
diately depend  upon  their  will,  but  upon  the  nat- 
ure of  thofe  mani/ejlatiom.  which  God  is  pleafed  to 
make  to  their  minds.  Though  they  commonly 
enjoy  more  light  and  cdmfort,  while  they  are  mak- 
ing progrefs  in  holinefs  j  yet  they  fomeiimes  grow 
in  grace  very  faft,  while  they  are  denied  the  pecul- 
iar manifeftaiions  of  the  divine  favor.  And  though 
they  are  commonly  involved  in  greater  darknefs^ 
tvhile  they  are  declining  in  grace ;  yet  their  de- 
clenfion  is  fometimes  attended  with  more  ftupidi- 
ty,  than  darknefs  and  diftrefs  of  mind.  Hence 
they  ought  to  meafure  their  growth  in  grace,  by 
the  incrtafe  of  holy  affeftions,  and  not  by  the  m- 
creafc  of  fpiritual  light  and  comfort.  And,  on  the 
other  hand,  they  <;\ught  to  meafure  their  declen- 
lion  in  religion,  by  the  increafc  of  finful  affeQionSj 
and  not  by  the  increafe  of  fpiritual  darknefs  and 
diftrefs.  For,  however  things  may  appear  to  them- 
felves,  they  a6lually  decline  more  and  more  in  re- 
ligion, the  more  and  more  they  live  in  the  exer- 
cife  of  finful  afFe6lions. 

Inference  v. 

If  faints,  in  their  prefent  imperfecl  ftate,  are 
conftantly  liable  to  pofi lively  finful  exercifcs  ;  then 
they  are  conftantly  dependent  upon  God,  to  car- 
ry 


SERMON      XIX.  465 

jy  on   a  work   of  fan6lification  in    their   hearts. 
Irheir  gracious  exercifes  affe  not  neceflarily  and 
infeparably  conheBtd  with  each   other;    and  of 
confequenccg  may  at  any  time  be  interrupted  by 
totally  finful  afFe6iions.      They  have   rib  perma- 
nent fource  or  fountain  of  holinefs  within   thetn- 
felvesj  from   which  a  conftant  fiream  of  holy  af- 
feflionswill   naturally  and  necelTarily  flow.     As 
brie  holy  afFe6lion  will  nbt  'produce   another,  fo 
they  are  immediately   dependent   upon  God   for 
every  holy  aife6liori.     The  nioriient  he  withdraws 
his  gracious  influence,    their  gracious    exercifes 
ceafe,  and  finful  exercifes  infiantly  fucceed.    And 
in  this  cafe,   they  are  no  inore  able   to  renew  the 
train  of  holy  affeftions,  than  they  weire  to  hegin  it 
at   firfl:.      Their   fandification,   therefore,  is    pre- 
cifely  the   fame  as  continued  regeneration.     Ac- 
cordingly the  Apoftle  Paul  reprefents  himfelf  and 
all   other  chriliians,  as  confl:antly  dependent  up- 
on a   divine  influence   for  the   continuation  and 
growth  of  grace.     He  fays,  "  Not  that  we  are  fuf- 
ficient  of  ourfelves  to  think  any  thing  as  of  our- 
felves ;  but  our  fufEciency  is  of  God."     He  faysg 
«  Now  he  which  eflabliflieth  us  with  you  in  Chrift, 
and  hath  anointed  us,  is  God,  who  hath  alfo  feal- 
ed  us,   and  given  us  the   earneft  of  the   Spirit  m 
our  hearts."     He  fays,  "After  ye  believed,   ye 
were  fealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promife."    He 
hys^  "  Grieve  not  tlie  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  whei'C- 
L  L  1  by 


4^6  SERMON       XIX. 

by  ye  are  fealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption."  Hcf 
fays,  "  As  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  Godi 
they  are  the  fons  of  God."  But  though  God  has 
promifed  to  give  faints  the  influences  of  his  Spirit 
to  produce  holy  affeQions  in  their  hearts,  and  pre- 
pare them  for  future  and  eternal  bleffednefs ;  yet 
he  has  not  promifed,  that  fuch  divine  influences 
fhair  be  conjlant,  but  has  referved  the  power  of 
withdrawing  them,  whenever  he  pleafes.  This 
fhows,  that  chriftians  are  conftantly  and  immedi- 
ately dependent  upon  God,  to  keep  up  a  train  of 
holy  exercifes  in  their  hearts ;  and  when  it  is  brok- 
en by  the  intervention  of  finful  affeftions,  to  re- 
new it  again.  The  preparation  of  their  heart,  as 
well  as  the  anfwer  of  their  tongue,  is  from  the 
Lord.  It  depends  upon  God,  who  has  begun  a 
good  work  in  their  hearts,  to  carry  ft  on  until  the 
day  of  Jefus  Chrift.  He  only  can  make  them  per- 
fe8;  in  every  good  work  to  do  his  will,  working^ 
in  them  that  which  is  well  pleafing  in  his  fight. 

Inference  vi. 

If  faints,  in  their  prefent  flate  of  imperfeQionj 
are  fubj efts  of  both  holy  and  unholy  affe6lions; 
then  it  is  evident,  there  is  a  foundation  in  their 
minds  for  what  is  commonly  called  the  chrijiian 
Warfare,  This  is  peculiar  to  all  real  chriftians. 
It  never  takes  place  in  the  unregenerate,  but  al- 
ways takes  place  in  thofe  who  are  born  again.     It 

is 


SERMON    XIX.  467 

IS  a  warfare,  not  between  the  heart  and  confcience, 
but  between  holy  and  unholy  affeftions.     Sinners 
often  feel  a  confli6l  between   the   motions  of  the 
heart  and  the  dilates  of  eonfcience.     For  when 
their  eonfcience  is  awake,  it  always  condemns  all 
their  finful  defires  and  purfuits.     There  is,  how- 
ever, no  real  virtue  in  fuch  a  confli£l  between  the 
felfifh  defires  of  the  heart  and  the  remonftrances 
of  eonfcience,  though  it  rife  ever  fo  high,  or  con- 
tinue ever  fq  long.      But  the  chriftian  warfare  al- 
ways implies  fomething  truly  holy  and  acceptable 
to  God.     Hence  the  Apoftle  fpeaks  of  it  as  an 
evidence  of  his  having  fome  right  delires  and  af- 
fe£lions  of  heart.     "  For  to  will  is  prefent  with  me  ; 
but  how  to  perfoim  that  which  is  good,  I  find  not." 
Now,  if  faints   have   fome  p^rfeftly   holy  and 
fome  totally  iinful  exercifes,  then  it  h  eafy  to  dif- 
cove^  the  ground,  of  the  chriftian  warfare.     For 
fin  and  holinefs  are  diametrically  oppofite  in  their 
nature,  and  perfectly  hate  and  oppofe  each  other. 
While  faints  are  in  the  exercife  of  holinefs,  they, 
hate  all  finful  affeftions  with  a  perfed  hatred.     So 
long,  therefore,  as  two  fuch  oppofite  kinds  ofaf- 
feftion  alternately  exift  in  their  minds,  they  mufh 
be  fubjeB;  to  a  rpoft  fenfible  and  painful  conflift. 
But  did  their  imperfeftion  confift  in  the  mere  Ian- 
guor  of  their  holy  aflfeaions,  or  in  their  holy  affec- 
tions hcmg  partly  unholy,  without   any   diftinft  and 
oppofite  finful  exercifesj  there  could  be  no  ground 

for 


468  SERMON       XIX. 

for  a  fplritual  vvarfare.  Though  their  holy  afTee- 
tions  were  too  xveak  and  languid,  yet  this  could  af- 
ford no  ground  fpr  their  oppofing  each  other.  And 
though  each  holy  afFe61if>n  were  ^p^nly  J,n/ul,  yet 
this  could  afford  no  ground  for  the  fame  affe^lion 
to  oppofe  itfelf.  But  if  the  leading  fentiment  in 
this  difcourfe  be  true,  that  faints  have  fome  per-^ 
JeHly.  holy  and  fonie  totally  Jinjul,  affe6lions ;  then 
there  appears  to  be  a  fufficient  ground  for  a  fpir- 
itual  conflift  in  their  hearts?  as  long  as  they  re- 
main imperfe^ly  fan6lified. 

Hence  the  Apoftle  Paul,  who  treats  more  large- 
ly upon  the  chriftian  warfare  than  any  other  infpir- 
ed  Writer,  reprefenis  it  as  a  inutual  oppofition 
bet\\'een  holy  and  unholy  affe^ions.  He  fpends  a 
great  part  of  the  chapter  which  contains  the  text, 
in  defcribing  the  fpiritual  conflift,  which  he  had 
felt  inhis  own  breaft.  The  defcription  follows  : 
^*  For  we  know  that  the  law  is  fpiritual,"  it  requires 
nothing  but  holy  and  fpiritual  affe6lions,  "  but  I 
am  carnali  fold  under  Jin.  For  that  which  /  do^  I  al- 
low not  ;  for  what  /  would,  that  do  I  not  j  but  what 
/  ha:te,  that  do  I,  If  then  I  dp  that  I  would  not, 
I  confent  unto  the  law  that  it  is  good."  So  far 
a^  I  am  in  the  exercife  of  grace,  I  always  fee  and 
approve  the  goodne fs  of  the  law.  't  Now  then,  it 
is  no  more  /  that  do  it,  but  j'^n  that  dwelleth  in  me."' 
Whenever!  do  any  thing  which  is  finful,  I  a6l  con- 
trary to  thofe  holy  affeftions,  which  form  my  chrif'- 


SERMON      XIX.  469 

tjan  chara6ler.  "  For  I  know  that  in  me,  that  is, 
in  my  flefh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing."  I  know 
that  when  the  train  of  holy  exercifes  is  interrupt- 
ed, then  my  afFeclions  are  altogether  finful.  "For 
to  will  is  prefent  with  me  ;  but  how  to  perform 
that  which  is  good,  I  find  not."  While  the  train 
of  holy  exercifes  continues,  I  defire,  I  refolve,  I 
determine  to  do  nothing  but  what  is  right.  But  I 
often  find  this  train  of  holy  exercifes  is  broken, 
and  then  I  feel  averfe  from  thofe  duties,  which  I 
fmcerely  intended  to  perform.  "  For  the  good 
that  I  would,  I  do  not;  but  the  evil  which  /  would 
Tiot,  that  do  I,  Now  if  I  do  that  /  would  not,  it  is 
no  more  /  that  do  it,  hut  Jin  that  dwelleth  in  me." 
Jf  I  always  do  right,  while  grace  is  in  extrcife,  then 
when  I  do  wrong,  it  muft  be  wholly  afcribed  to 
my  totally  finful  feelings,  which,  in  my  happy  mo- 
ments, I  always  abhor  and  rejijl.  "  I  find  then  a 
law,  that  when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  prefent 
with  me."  Though  I  refolve  to  do  good  in  fome 
future  period,  yet  when  that  period  arrives,  evil 
is  prefent  with  me,  and  1  negle£l  that  which  I  had 
previoufly  intended  to  do.  "  For  I  delight  in  the 
law  of  God  after  the  inward  man."  It  is  my  hab- 
itual* difpofition  to  approve  and  love  every  di- 
vine- 

*  Since  habit  always  refers  to  fome  mental  or  bodily  exer- 
cifes, and  not  to  principles  of  aclion,  there  is  a  propriety  in 
calling  a  train  of  gJacicus  exercifes  habitual-,  whether  they 
prigiaate  from  a  prindpU  of  grace,  or  noc 


470  SERMON"       XIX. 

vine  precept.  "  But  I  fee  another  law  in  my  mem- 
bers warring  againft  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringr 
ing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  fin  which  is  in 
my  members.  O  wretched  man  that  I  am !  who 
fhal)  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?"  My 
fmful  affections  I  call  the  law  of  fin,  and  my  holy 
affeBions  I  call  the  law  of  my  mind.  Thefe  two 
oppofite  kinds  of  affe6lion  are  at  variance  with 
each  other,  and  when  my  finfal  affeftions  prevail, 
I  feel  myfelf  a  captive,  in  bondage  under  fin.  I 
know  I  am  afting  againft  the  law  of  my  mind,  my 
inward  man,  my  former  defires  and  refolutions; 
but  I  find  by  painful  experience,  that  none  but 
God  can  break  the  voluntary  cords  of  mine  ini- 
quity, and  deliver  me  from  the  love  and  domin- 
ion of  thofe  fins,  which  eafily  befet  me.  O  wretch- 
ed man  that  I  am,  to  be  always  expofed  to  the 
power  and  guilt  of  moral  corruptions !  Such  a  con- 
fli6l  between  nature  and  grace  the  Apoftle  ex- 
perienced in  his  own  breaft  3  and  fuch  a  confli6l 
he  reprefents  as  common  to  all  chriftians ;  for  he 
fays  to  believers  in  general,  "The  flefli  lufteth 
againft  the  fpirit,  and  the  fpirit  againft  the  flefti  : 
and  thcfe  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other  :  fp 
that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  would." 

If  this  be  a  juft  defcription  of  the  mutual  op- 
pofition  between  perfeBly  holy  and  totally  finful 
affeftionsin  the  hearts  of  fiiints,  then  it  may  prop- 
erly be  called  a  Warfare.     For  it  obliges  them  to 

be 


SERMON     XIX.  4ji 

be  always  on  their  guard,  and  to  keep  their  hearts 
with  all  diligence,  in  order  to  repel  the  afTaults  and 
intrufion  of  finful  motions  and  affeftions.  While 
they  are  in  the  exercife  of  grace,  they  habitually 
dread  the  approaching  eftemy,  and  watch  his  appear- 
ances,- left  they  fhould  be  taken  by  furprize.  Such 
watching  and  guarding  is  eflential  to  the  chrirtian 
warfare,  in  which  viftory  confifts  in  keeping  the 
ground.  As  foon  as  finful  afFedions  take  place  in 
the  hearts  of  ehriftians,  they  are  aQually  conquer- 
ed. Indeed,  that  train  of  afFeftions,  whether  good 
or  bad,  which  exifts  in  their  hearts,  is  the  conquer- 
or, for  the  tirae  being.  If  good  and  bad  afFedions 
could  both  exift  in  the  mind  at  the  fame  inflant, 
and  oppofe  each  other  ever  fo  powerfully,  it  does 
not  appear,  that  either  could  ever  gain  the  afcend- 
ency.  But  if  fin  and  holinefs  cannot  exift  at  thd 
fame  inftant  in  the  fame  mind,  then  either  the  one 
or  the  other  muft  gain  the  victory,  by  taking  pof- 
feffion  of  the  ground.  The  only  way,  therefore, 
in  which  believers  can  keep  out  of  fpiritual  bond- 
age, is  to  keep  themfelves  in  the  love  of  God. 
But  fince  they  are  dependent  upon  a  divine  in- 
fluence to  do  this,  and  fince  that  influence  may 
be  withdrawn,  they  are  always  in  danger  of  being 
furprized  into  fin.  This  renders  the  chriftian  war- 
fare extremely  painful  and  extremely  dangerous. 
Saints  are  foldierS  for  life,  and  nothing  but  death 
can  difchargc   them  from  their  fpiritual  warfare. 

iNf EREKCE 


47Si  SERMON      Xllt. 

Inference   yii. 

If  the  imperfeftion  of  true  believers  beotving  td 
the  inconjiancy  of  their  gracious  exercifes ;  then  they 
arc  able  to  attain  di  full  affurantt  of  their  good  ef- 
tate,  notwiihftanding  all   their  reftiaining   corrup- 
tions.    Thev  are  required  td  ijiake   their   calling 
and  eleftion  fure.     It  is  their  duty  to  know   the 
true  ftate  of  their  rftinds.    They  ought  to  be  thank- 
ful to  God  for  his  fpecial  grace,  and  perform  all 
the  peculiar  duties^  which  he  has  enjoined    upon 
his  children.     But  ntiany  feem  to  think  it  is  out  of 
their  power  to  attain  affurance,  and  plead  the  de- 
ceitfulnefs   and  corruption  of  their  hearts,   as  an 
cxcufe  for  not  knowing  whether  they  are  really  the 
friends  or  enemies  of  God.     And  did  moral   im- 
perfection tonfift  in  the  mere  weaknefs  of  holy  af- 
feftions,  or  in  their  being  mixed  with  moral  impuri- 
ty, it  feeras  as  though  weak  chrijiians^  at  leaft,  could 
not  determine  their  own  true  character.    For,  there 
is  no  rule  in  the  word  of  God,  by  which  they  can 
afcertain   the  point,  whether  their  holy  e^cercifes 
are  fufficiently  Jlrong  and  vigorous^   to  denominate 
them  real  faints.     But  if  moral  impcrfeftion  con- 
filis  in  the  incovjlancy  of  perfe6lly   holy  afFeSions, 
then  they  may   certainly  determine,   that  they  are 
the  fubjefts  of  fpecial  grace.     For,  every  holy  af- 
feflion  they  have,  is  totally  diftin6l  from  every  fin- 
ful  afFeSlion,  and  affords  an  infallible  evidence  of 

a  rev- 


I 

5   E   R   M   O    N      XIX.  473 

k  renovation  of  -heart.  Whoever  has  true  love, 
or  true  repentance,  or  true  faiih,  or  true  fubmif- 
iion,  is  born  again,  and  has  the  witnefs  ^vithin 
himfelf,  that  he  is  a  true  child  of  God.  Though 
thefe  affections  may  be  interrupted  by  contrary 
exercifes,  yet  they  ftill  remain  an  infallible  evi- 
dence of  a  faving  change.  And,  as  this  evidence 
exifts  in  every  real  faint,  fo  every  rejil  faint  may 
difcover  it.  For,  fince  perfecily  holy  exercifes 
are  entirely  diftind  from  perfeftly  finful  exercilesj 
and  fince  thefe  two  kinds  of  affection  are  diamet- 
rically oppofite  in  their  nature  ;  the  confcience  is 
able  to  diflinguifh  the  lea/l  hcly  affcclion  from  ai^iy 
finful  exercife.  Hence  the  weakeft  chriftian  may 
difcover  that  infallible  e\'idence  of  grace,  which 
actually  exifts  iti  his  own  heart,  and  which  may 
give  him  affurance  of  his  gracious  flate.  Though 
he  may  feel  and  lament  great  moral  corruption, 
and  though  his  finful  exercifes  may  very  often  in- 
terrupt his  holy  affedions ;  yet  ftill  he  may  dif- 
cover that  train  of  holy  exercifes,  which  is  an  in- 
fallible evidence  of  a  renovation  of  heart. 

This  is  the  way  in  which  good  men  in  all  ages 
have  attained  affurance.  Paul  fpake  the  language 
of  affurance,  when  he  fmcerely  declared,  "  I  de- 
light in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man." 
This  was  as  much  as  to  fay,  though  I  often  fall  fhort 
of  my  duty,  though  I  am  often  in  bondage,  fold 
under  fin.  and  though  I  am  prone  to  break  my 
M  M  m  bcli 


474  SERMON       XlX. 

beft    refolations }    yet  I  know,    that  I  fometiines 
loye  the  law  of  God,  and  that  I  fometrmes  heart- 
ily delight  to  do  his  will.     And  thefe  exercifes  af- 
ford me  full  afTurance,    that  I  am  a  true  penitent 
and   found   believer.     Peter  offended  grievoufly, 
and  dilcovered  great  corruption  of  heart;  but  yet 
when  the  train   of  holy  exercifes  was  renewed,  he 
could  appeal  to  Chrift  and  fay,  "  Lord,  thou  know- 
eft;  all  things;  thou  knoweft  that  I  love  thee."    Job 
was  fully  aflured  of  his  good  eftate,  while  his  friends^ 
accufed  him  of  hypocrify.    He  knew  that  he  loved 
God  for  what  he  was  in  himfelf,  becaufe  he  could 
heartily  blefs  him  f^r  his  frowns  as  well  as  for  his 
fmiles. .    Nor  did  his  curfing  the  day  of  his  birth 
deftroy  his  affurance;  for  this  could  not  invalidate 
the  evidence  in  his  favor,  arifing  from  the  perfe6l- 
]y  holy   afFe6HonSj  which  he  had  often  been  con- 
fcious  of  feeling  and  expreffing. 

If  we  now   look  into  the  New   Teftaraent,  we 

fliall  there  find,  that  the  primitive  chriftians  attained 

to  full  affurance,  by  a  confcioufnefs  of  having  pure 

and  holy   affeBions.      The  Apoftle    John   dwells 

largely  upon  this  fubjeft  in  his  firft  Epiftle.  In  the 

third  chapter  he  fays,   '•  Hereby  do  we  know  that  we 

know  him,  if  toe  hep  his  commandments ''    Again  he 

fays,  '•  We  know  that  we   have  paffed   from   death 

unto  life  ;  becaufe  toe   hve  the  brethren"      He  goes 

on  and  fays,   "  My  little   children,  let  us  not  Icve 

in  word,  neither  in   tongue  ;    but   indeed  and  in 

truih.  And  hereby  we  knoio  that  wc  are  of  the  truth, 

and 


SERMON      XIX.  475 

and  fhall  ajfure  our  hearts  before  him.  Beloved, 
if  our  heart  condemn  us  not,  then  have  we  con- 
fidence toward  God.  And  hereby  we  knorv  that  he 
abideth  ia  us,  by  the  fpirit  which  he  hath  given  us." 
He  purfues  the  fubjeft  further  and  aiXerts,  "  If  we 
love  one  another,  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and  his  love 
is  perfe6led  in  us.  Hereby  we  know  that  we  dwell 
in  him,  and  he  in  us,  becaufe  he  hath  given  us  of 
his  fpirit.  God  is  love ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in 
love,  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  hjm."  To  give 
an  emphafis  to  thefe  declarations,  the  Apoftle  ex- 
prefsly  fays,  that  he  wrote  this  Epiflle  on  purpofe 
to  teach  chriftians  how  to  attain  affurance  of  their 
title  to  heaven.  "  Thefe  things  have  I  written  un- 
jo  you  that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God, 
tf^at  ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal  life." 

Thus  it  appears,  that  it  is  the  reality  of  holy  af- 
feftions,  and  not  the  confancy  of  them,  which  af- 
fords true  believers  an  infallible  evidence  of  their 
being  born  of  Go,d.  ^  Whenever  they  difcover 
truly  benevolent  exei:ci(es,  they  difcover  certain 
evidence  of  a  charge  of  heart.  For  holinefs  in 
every  degree  of  it  is  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  And 
this  evidence  cannot  be  invalidated  by  moral  im- 
perfe6lionj  becaufe  it  is  agreeable  to  the  character 
of  faints  in  this  life,  that  they  fliould  have  the  re- 
mains of  moral  corruption,  or  that  their  holy  exer- 
cifes  ftiould  be  fometimes  interrupted  by  pofitive- 
]y  finful  aflFe6Uons.     Though  a  fingle,  folitary  ho- 


47^  SERMON       XiX, 

\y  exercife  might  be  more  eafily  overlooked,  yet 
2iJucceJfio7i  of  holy  exercifes  may  be  readily  and  clear- 
ly difcerncd.  Hence  3.  fuccejjion  of  holy  exercifes, 
which  always  take  place  in  every  regenerate  per- 
fon,  may  afFord  every  real  faint  full  affurance  of 
his  good  eftate.  Let  all  profeffors  of  religion,  and 
efpecially  thofe  that  are  in  doubt  of  their  (inceri- 
ty,  follow  the  Apoftle's  dire6lion.  "  Examine 
yourfelves,  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith  ;  prove  yonr 
own  felvcs,  how  that  Chrift  is  in  you,"  that  is,  his 
fpirit,  ««  except  ye  be  reprobates," 

Inference  vm. 

Since  the  imperfeclion  of  faints  confifts  in  the 
inconjlancy  of  their  holy  affeflions,  they  need  to  be 
much  in  prayer  for  divine  influence  and  afliftance. 
They  find,  that  their  hearts  are  extremely  deceit- 
ful and  prone  to  go  aftray.  They  find,  that  all 
the  obje6ls  around  them  are  apt  to  divert  their 
attention  and  their  afFe8ions  from  heavenly  and 
divine  things.  They  f^nd,  that  after  they  have  had 
the  nearefl;  approaches  to  God,  and  the  mofl  inti- 
mate communion  with  him,  their  hearts  are  bent 
upon  backflidingi  and  ready  to  purfue  every  ob- 
je6l  of  vanity.  They  are  weak,  dependent,  incon- 
ftant,  inconfiftent  creatures.  They  perpetually 
need  divine  influence^  to  keep  their  hearts,  to 
irsa^ntain  uniformity  of  affe6lions,  and  to  give 
them  that  peace  of  mind,  which  the  %vorId  cannot 

g|yc. 


SERMON    XIX.  47jr 

give.  In  this  view,  Seneca,  a  heathen  philofopher, 
vas  very  fenfible  of  the  importance  of  prayer. 
«?  APkj  fays  he,  at  the  hand  of  God  di  good  mind ; 
and  firft  of  all  pray  unto  him  for  the  health  of  thy 
ffirit  ;  and  next  for  the  Health  of  thy  body." 
When  the  blood  is  either  accelerated  or  retarded 
in  its  motion,  or  when  the  bones  are  either  broken 
or  diflocated,  the  body  js  unfitted  for  every  duty 
and  enjoyment.  But  a  difordered  mind  i&  much 
more  intolerable,  than  a  difordered  body.  A  man 
lyiay  fuftain  his  infirmity,  but  a  wounded  fpirit  who 
can  bear  ?  When  the  afFeftions  are  interrupted, 
and  thrown  into  tumult  and  convulfion,  faints  arc 
linfitted  for  thinking,  reading,  praying,  or  the  per- 
forming of  any  other  duty.  They  are  expofed  to 
ev^ry  temptation  from  v.ithin  and  from  without. 
They  can  enjoy  no  peace  nor  fatisfa6lion,  until 
their  affe£tions  are  reQified,  and  their  fouls  return 
unto  God,  their  only  proper  reft.  Their  moral 
imperfe6tion,  therefore,  arifing  from  the  inconllan- 
cy  of  their  holy  cxercifes,  perpetually  calls  upon 
them  to  call  upon  God,  for  either  preventing,  or 
preferving,  or  reftoring  mercy.  It  was  a  realifing 
fenfe  of  the  inconftancy  and  deceitfulnefs  of  their 
own  hearts,  which  led  the  antient  faints  to  give 
themfelves  unto  prayer  for  divine  inftruftion, 
guidance,  and  influence.  This  appears  from  the 
peculiar  modes  of  expreffion^  which  they  ufed  in  theif- 
addfeffes  to  God.     David  prays  in  a  ftrain  very 

lingular 


178  SERMON       XIK> 

fingular   and    ftriking.      "Who    can    underftand 

his  errors  ?    cleanfe   thou  me  from   fecret  faults. 

Keep  hack  thy  fervant  alfo  from  prefumptuous  fins, 

let  them  not  have  dominion  over  me;  then  fliall  I 

be  upright,  and  I  fhall  be  innocent  from  the  great 

tranrgreiTion.     Let  the  words  of  my   mouth,  and 

the  7neditation  of  my   heart   be  acceptable  in   thy 

fight,  O  Lord,  my  ftrength,  and  my  redeemer. 

Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God ;  and  reneiv  a 

right  fpirit  within  me.     Caft  me  not  away  from  thy 

prefence  ;  and  take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me. 

Rejlore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  falvation  ;  and  itp^ 

hold  me  with  thy  free  fpirit.     Incline  my  heart  unto 

thy  teftimonies,  and  not  unto  ccvctoufnefs.     Turn  away 

mine  eyes  from  beholding  vanity.     Order  my  fteps 

in  thy  word  :  and  ht  not  iniquity  have  dominion  ouer 

me.     Incline  not  my  heart  to  any  evil  thing,  to  praBifc 

wicked  works   with  men   that   work   Iniquity."     In 

moft  of  thefe  places,  David  is  to  be  confidered  as 

fpeaking  the  general  language  of  the  Old  Tefta- 

inent  church;  which  language  is  exa6lly  agreeable 

to  that  daily  petition,  which  Chrifc  taught  his  dif- 

ciples.     "  Leadus  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  ui 

from  evil."     Though  an  hypocrite  will  not  always 

call  upon  God;  yet  every   fincere  chriftian,  who 

realizes  the  inconftancy  and  deceitfulnefs  of  his 

own  heart,  will  feel  the  propriety  and  neceffity  of 

complying  with  that  divine  precept,  '■^  pray  without 

ceafin^.'' 

Inference 


SERMON      XIX.  479 

Inference  ix. 

if  the  imperfection  of  faints  confifts  in  the  inco^i- 
flancy  of  their  holy  exercifes ;  then  they  are,  not- 
withftanding  their  imperfedion,  cjfmtially  different 
from  Tinners.  The  prefent  imperfeftion  of  faints 
has  led  fome  very  ingenious  men  to  imagine,  that 
the  comparative  difference  between  faints  and  firi- 
ners  is  extremely  fmal! ;  and  that  they  will  not  be 
treated  fo  very  differently  in  a  future  (late,  as  is 
generally  fuppofed.  This  is  the  opinion  of  Mr, 
Paley,  a  v^ry  ingenious  and  perfpicuous  writer. 
He  cannot  admit,  that  the  loweft  faint  will  be  per- 
feBly  bleffcd;  while  the  beft  finner  will  be  perfect- 
ly milerable,  in  a  future  and  eternal  ftate.  He 
has  conjeftured,  therefore,  that  there  will  be  but 
very  little  difference  between  the  future  and  eter- 
nal condition  o^  iht  loweft  faint,  and  that  of  the" 
moft  moral  and  amiable  finner.  But  if  the  impef- 
feClion  of  faints  in  this  life  entirely  confifts  in  the 
mconjlancy  of  their  holy  exercifes  ;  then  their  mor- 
al character  is  cjfeniially  different  from  the  moral 
character  of  finners.  They  \\2iWtfome  perfcBly  holy 
and  benevolent  affeBions,  of  which  all  finners  are 
totally  dcjlitiite.  They  need  nothing  but  conftancy 
in  their  gracious  exercifes,  in  order  to  render  them 
as  perfect  as  Gabriel,  or  even  as  their  Father  who 
is  in  heaven.  There  is,  therefore,  not  merely  a 
graduate   but   an  ejfmtial  difference  between   the 

faint, 


48o  SERMON      XIX; 

faint,  who  has  but  one  fpark  of  faving  grace,  and 
the  beft  finner  on  earth,  who  has  nothing  but  felf- 
ifh  and  (inful  affe6tions.  Upon  this  ground,  the 
infpired  Writers  diftinguifli  gracious  and  gracelefs 
perfons,  by  the  mod  oppofiie  appellations;  fuch  as 
the  godly  and  ungodly,  the  holy  and  unholy,  the  righteous 
and  unrighteous,  the  friends  and  the  enemies  of  God,. 
But  Chrift  fets  the  ejential  difference  between  faints 
and  finnsrs  in  the  moft  plain  and  intelligible  light. 
He  brings  the  matter  to  a  point,  and  decides  it 
in  the  raoft  unequivocal  terms.  For  he  abfolutely 
declares,  "  He  that  is  not  with  me  is  ogainji  me ; 
and  he  that  gather eth  not  with  me,  fcattereth  abroad." 
And  again)  "  He  that  is  not  againjl  us  is  on  our  part. 
For  whofoever  ftiail  give  you  a  cup  of  water  to 
drink  in  my  name,  becaufe  ye  belong  to  Chrift, 
Verily  I  fay  unto  you,  hejliall  not  lofe  his  reward^^ 
This  decihon  of  the  fupreme  and  final  Judge,  puts 
it  beyond  doubt  that  there  is  an  ejfential  difference 
between  every  faint  and  every  finner;  and  that 
every  faint  will  be  finally  and  eternally  rewarded^ 
while  every  finally  impenitent  finner  will  be  final- 
ly and  eternally  puni/Jied, 

Inference    x. 

Since  all  faints  are  imperfect  in  this  life,  the 
world  ought  not  to  fcruple  their  fincerily,  on  ac- 
count of  their  inconjiancy.  Many  are  ready  to 
call   in  queftion  the   fincerity   of  faintS;    becaufe 

they 


S  E   R   M^O    N      XiX.  481 

they  are  not  conftant  and  uniform  in  fulfilling 
their  own  engagements,  and  in  obeying  the  divine 
commands.     But  if  they  are  imperfeft,  it  is  to  be 
expected,  that  they  will  manifeft  the  inconflancy 
of  their  right  aflPe6tions,  and  difcover  fome  wrong 
feelings  towards  God,  and  their  fellow  men.     This 
has  always  been  the  cafe,  with  refpeft  to  the  befl 
faints,  whofe  charafters  are  recorded  in  Scripture. 
They  were  not  conftant  and  uniform  in  their  obe- 
dience to  God,  but  fometimes  felt  and  a6led  like 
finners.     The  fame  thing  is  ftill  to  be  expe6ted  of 
thofe,  who  are  now  the  real,  but  inconjlant  friends 
of  God.     Though  they  are  inconftant,  yet  they 
are    fincere  j    though    they   have   fome    perfe6lly 
wrong,  yet  they  have  fome  perfeftly  right  affec- 
tions.    They  really  love  and  obey  God,  though 
they  fall  far  fhort  of  that  perfe6i;ion  in  holinefs, 
which  they  ought  to  have  now,  and  which  they  will 
moft  certainly  attain  hereafter.     It  is,  therefore,  no 
lefs  unreafonable,  than  dangerous,  for  finners  «  to 
eat  up  the  fins  of  God's  people,"  and  build  their 
hopes,  as  well  as  form  their  excufes,  upon  the  crim- 
inal defefts  and  imperfections  of  the  excellent  of 
the  earth. 

Inference  xi. 

Since  all  faints  are  imperfeB  in  the  prefent  ftate, 

they  have  abundant  reafon  for  humiliation  and 

N  N  n  felf^ 


48^  SERMON       XIX. 

felf-abafement.     ITrey  have  been  extremely  inc6ft-i 
Itant,  inconfiftenj;,  and  crrminal  in  their  views  and 
feelings.     Though   they  have  had   fome   right   af- 
fcftions  and   frncere  defires  to  glorify  God;    yet 
they  have  been  as  unftaWe  as  water,  in  their  good' 
purpofes,   refolutions,   and   defigns.       Their    im- 
perFe6lion3  have  attended  them  every  day  and  ev- 
ery where,  in  all  their  fecular  employn>ents,  and 
religious  duties.      How  many   worldly   affedions 
have  crept  into  their  hearts,  whrle  they  have  been 
neccffarily  engaged   in  worldly   concerns?    How 
much  have  they  been  conformed  to  the  manners 
and  fpirit  of  the  world,  while  they  have  been  cal- 
led to  mix  and  converfe  with  the  men  of  the  world  ? 
How  often  have  their  remaii;ing  corruptions  dif- 
lurbed  their  thoughts  and  afFe6lions,  in  the  devo- 
tions of  the  clofet,  of  the  family,  and  of  the  houfc 
of  God?    Could  the   contrariety  and   incohfifteri- 
cy  of  their'  feelings  and  conduft  be  painted  to  their 
own  view,  as  they  have  aSlually   appeared  to  the 
Searchfer  of  hearts,   they  would  blufh   and  be   a- 
fliamed  not  only  of  their  hours  of  labor  and  amufe- 
ment,  but  of  their  more  folemn  fcafons  of  retire- 
ment, meditation,  and  prayer.     Their  fins  are  not 
only  great  and  numerous,   but  exceedingly  aggra- 
vated.    They  have  broken   the   moft   facred  and 
folemn    obligations,    and    greatly    injured    thofe, 
whom  they  ought  to  have  treated  with  a  peculiar 
affcftion   and   regard.      Such   criminal  imperfec- 
tions- 


SERMON      XIX.  483 

>^ons  call  for  deep  humiliation  and  felf-abafement. 
They  ought  to  loath  aud  abhor  themfclves,  when 
they  refleft  how  much  they  have  offended  God, 
how  much  they  have  wounded  Chrift  in  the  houfe 
of  his  friendsj  how  much  they  have  refifted  and 
grieved  the  Holy  Spirit,  how  much  they  have 
weakened  the  hands  and  difcouraged  the  hearts  of 
their  fellow-chriftians,  and  how  much  they  have 
robbed  themfelves  of  the  moft  folid  peace  and 
felf-enjoyment.  They  ought  to  walk  humbly  and 
foftly' before  God  every  day.  They  ought  to 
jkeep  their  hearts  with  all  diligence,  and  guard 
againft  the  aflauhs  of  Satan  and  the  fnares  of  the 
world.  They  ought  to  grow  in  grace,  and,  for- 
getting thofe  things  which  are  behind,  and  reach- 
ing forth  unto  thofe  things  which  are  before,  to 
prefs  toward  the  mark  of  fmlefs  perfedion. 


SERMON 


SERMON     XX. 

The  proper  Defign  and  Ener- 
gy of  Prayer. 

"    '  x>o^■•xxx^«<5>'<5'°■<c)°^<^■<><■'-<^<:^^^ 
Genesis   xxxii.   28. 

For  as  a  prince  hajl  thou  poxjoer  with  God  and  rvith 
meiii  and  hajl  prevailed. 

X  HOUGH  all  chriftians  agree  in  main- 
taining the  duty  of  prayer  ;  yet  many  find  a  difficul- 
ty in  reconciling-  this  duty  with  the  divine  char- 
.a£ler.  They  fuppofe  God  is  perfe6lly  good,  infi- 
nitely wife,  and  abfolutely  immutable  in  all  his  pur- 
pofes;  and  upon  this  ground,  they  cannot  eafily 
conceive  what  influence  prayer  can  have,  either  to 
procure  his  favors,  or  to  avert  his  frowns.  It  is 
the  defign  of  the  enfuing  difcourfe,  therefore,  to 
remove  this  difficulty,  hy  pointing  out  the  nature 
and  tendency  of  prayer.  And  the  words  I  have 
read,  taken  in  their  proper  connexion,  diredly 
lead  us  to  the  confideration  of  this  ferious  and 
pra61ical  fubje6l. 


4^6  SERMON      XX. 

As  Jacob  was  returning  from  Padan-Aram  tohi§ 
native  country,  he  fent  meflengers  to  his  brother 
Efau,  to  acquaint  him  with  his  intended  vifit,  and 
to  conciliate  his  favor.   But  the  meflengers  brought 
back    information,    that    his    brother    was   on   his 
way  to  meet  him,  with  four  hundred  men.     This 
news  was  extremely  alarming  to  Jacob,  who  knew 
his  brother's  refentment,  and  his  own  weaknef^.    Jn 
this  critical  fituation,  he  a8;ed  the  part  of  a  pious 
and  prudent  man.     He  firft  attempted  to  appeafe 
his  brother's  wrath,  by  a  noble  and  princely  pref- 
ent.    But  left  this  precaution  fhould  fail  of  fuccefs, 
he  ordered  his  fervants  to  conduQ  his  family  and 
flocks  over  the  brook  Jabbok,  whilft  he  himfelf 
remained  alone,  to  fupplicate  the  divine  favor  and 
prote8ion.     At  this  fcafon  of  folitude  and  devo- 
tion, he   wreflled  with  God  and  prevailed.     The 
account  is  extremely  folemn  and  inftruftive.  "And 
Jacob   was  left  alone  :    and  there  wreflled  a  man 
with  him   until   the  breaking  of  the    day.      And 
when  he  faw  that  he  prevailed  not  againft  hjm,  he 
touched  the  hollow  of  his  thigh  :  and  the   hollow 
of  Jacob's  thigh  was  out  of  joint,  as  he  wreflled 
with  him.     And  he  faid,  Let  me  go,  for  the  day 
breaketh  :   and  he  faid,  /  ivUl  not  lei  thee  go,  except 
thou  hlefs  me.     And  he  faid  unto  him.  What  is  thy 
name  ?    And  he  faid,  Jacob.     And  he  faid.  Thy 
name  fhall  be  called  no  more  Jacob,  but  Ifrael  : 

for  as  a  prince  hajl  thou  poxuer  with  God  and  with  mep, 

and 


S  E   R   1^   O   N    XX.  4tf 

dndhajl  prevailed.  And  Jacob  called  the  name  of 
the  place  Peniel  :  for  I  have  feen  God  face  to  face j 
and  my  life  is  prefeved."  Here  it  is  very  evident, 
that  Jacob  wreftled  with  a  Divine  Perfon  :  and 
that  his  xvreflling  prrncrpally  or  wholly  confifted, 
in  pleading  and  erying  for  mercy.  So  we  find  it 
reprefented  by  the  prophet  Hofea.  "  Yea,  he  had 
power  over  the  angcl^  and  prevailed :  he  wept,  and 
made  fiipplication  unto  him."  The  fincerity,  fer- 
vency, and  rmportunity  of  his  prayers,  moved  God 
to  hear  and  anfwer  his  requefts.  Both  the  letter 
and  fpirit  of  the  text  fugged  this  general  obferva- 
tjon  : 

That  it  is  the  defign  of  prayer  to  move  God  fo 
heftow  mercy. 

This  will  appear,  if  we  confider, 

4..  That  prayer  properly  and  eflentially  confifts 
in  pleading.  Though  it  may  be  divided  into  diftinft 
parts  or  branches  ;•  yet  all  thefe  ultimately  unite 
and  centre  in  fupplication.  In  adoration,  confef- 
iron,  petition,  and  thankfgiving,  we  ultimately  plead 
for  divine  mercy.  When  we  petition  our  fellow 
irten,  we  ahvays  mean  to  move  them  to  grant  our 
requefts.  And  in  order  to  prevail,  it  is  common 
to  make  ufe  of  various  modes  of  fupplication  or 
pleading.  This  is  the  method,  which  a  penitent 
child  would  take,  to  obtain  the  forfeited  favor  of 
his  father.  He  would  acknowledge  the  reftitude 
of  his  father's  government  i  he  would  confefs  the 

injury 


4g^  S    £    R    M    O    N  .     X5c. 

injury  be  had  done  to  his  father's  charaQer  -,  he 
would  thank  him  for  his  paft  favors  J  and  pathet- 
ically plead  for  his  forgiving  love.  He  would  nat- 
urally employ  all  thefe  modes  of  addrefs,  in  order- 
to  move  his  father  to  pardon  his  faults.  So  when 
we  praife  God  for  his  perfeftions,  thank  him  for 
his  mercies,  confefs  oiir  trefpaffes  againft  him,  and 
prefent  our  petitions  to  him,  we  do  all  this  with  an 
ultimate  aim  to  move  his  heart,  and  obtain  the  blef- 
fmos  we  implore.  Indeed,  we  never  fupplicate 
any  being,  without  an  ultimate  intention  of  pre- 
vailing upon  iiitn,  to  do  or  grant  what  we  defire. 
And  any  addrefs,  which  does  not  exprefs  or  imply 
a  defign  of  moving  the  perfon  addreffed,  cannot 
deferve  the  name  of  petition  Or  prayer.  So  far, 
therefore,  as  prayer  fignifies  "  the  offering  up  of 
oar  defires  to  God  for  things  agreeable  to  bis 
will,"  juft  fo  far  it  neceffarily  implies  our  defign 
and  defire  of  moving  God  to  bellow  the  favors 
we  requeft.  There  are  no  two  words  in  our  lan- 
guage more  nearly  fynonymous,  than  praying  and 
pleading.  And  fince  praying  always  implies  plead- 
ln<y,  it  muft  neceffarily  imply  a  defire  and  defign  of 
moving  God  to  fhew  mercy. 

2.  It  appears  from  the  prayers  of  good  men^ 
which  are  recorded  in  Scripture,  that  they  meant 
to  move  God  to  grant  their  petiiions.  Abraham's 
iatercefiion  for  Sodom  carries  this  idea.  He  ear- 
nefily  defired  and  prayed,   that  God  would  gra- 

cioufl/ 


SERMON      XX,  483 

cioufly  fpare  that  degenerate  city.  And  he  was 
fo  fervent  and  importunate  in  his  addreffes  to  the 
Deity,  that  he  apologized  for  his  importunity. 
"  Oh,  let  not  the  Lord  be  angry,  and  I  will  fpeak." 
And  he  continued  to  apologize,  until  he  made  his 
laft  and  fmalleft  requeft.  "  Oh,  let  not  the  Lord 
be  angry,  and  I  wijl  fpeak  but  this  once."  Such 
great  importunity  in  prayer  plainly  fuppofes,  that 
Abraham  meant  to  move  the  Supreme  Being  to 
fpare  thofe  guilty  creatures,  for  whorti  he  intreat- 
ed.  Jacob  wreftJed  all  night  with  God  in  prayer, 
and  humbly,  though  confidently,  faid,  "  I  will  not 
let  thee  go,  except  thou  blefs  me."  We  muft  con- 
clude from  this,  that  he  meant  to  move  God  to 
grant  him  a  blefling.  Job  had  the  fame  defign  in 
praying  to  God.  "  Oh  !  faid  he,  that  1  knew 
where  I  might  find  him !  that  I  might  come  evea 
to  his  feat!  I  would  order  my  fpeech  before  himg 
and  fill  my  rtiouth.with  arguments."  And  what  a 
variety  of  arguments  did  Daniel  ufe,  to  prevaiF. 
upon  God  to  grant  pardon  and  deliverance  to  his 
covenant  people  ?  He  prayed  in  this  fervent  and 
importunate  drain  :  "  Now,  therefore,  O  my  God, 
hear  the  prayer  of  thy  fervant,  and  his  fupplica- 
tions,  and  caufe  thy  face  to  fhine  upon  thy  fanftu- 
ary  that  is  de folate,  for  the  Lord's  fake  :  O  my 
God  incline  thine  ear,  and  hear;  open  thine  cycs^ 
and  behold  our  defolations,  and  the  city  which  is 
called  by  thy  name  :/or  w:e  do  not  prefent  our  fup- 
O  o  o  plication? 


490  SERMON       XX. 

plications  before  thee  for  our  righteoufnefleSjbuE  fo? 
thy  great  mercfes.  O  Lord,  hear;  O  Lord,  forgive  * 
O    Lord,  hearken,   and  do ;    defer  not,   for  thf 
name  fake,  O  my  God  :  for  thy  city  and  thy  peo- 
ple are  called  by  thy  name."     Why  fliould  Dan- 
iel ufe  fo  many  arguments  with  God;  and  plead- 
with  fo  much  fervor  and  importunity,   unlefs  he 
defired  and  intended  to  move  his  compaffion  to- 
wards his  people ;    and  incline  him  to  work  their 
deliverance  ?   No  men  ever  tinderftood   the   nat- 
ure and  defign  of  prayer,  better  than  Abrahamj- 
job,  and  Danieh     And  fince  thefe  eminent  faints 
evidently  meant,  by  their  fervent  and  importunate 
Supplications,  to  move   God  to  fliew^  mercy,  we 
may  juftly  conclude  this  to  be  a  proper  end  to  be 
propofed  in   praying.     Indeed,  it  is  much  to  be 
doubted,  whether  any  good  men  ever  did  call  upon 
God  with  freedom  and  fervency,   without   an   ar- 
dent defire  of  moving  God  to  grant  their  requefts. 
This  is  fo  effential  to  prayer,  that  no  pious  perfon, 
perhaps,  would  know  how  to  order  his  fpeech  be- 
fore God,  if  this  were  to  be  excluded  from  his  pe- 
titions.    And  though  fome  good  men  may  think, 
that  they  ought  not  to  indulge  a  defire  of  moving 
God  to  flicw  mercy  ;  yet,  we  believe,  if  they  would 
examine  their  own  feelings,  they  would  find,  that 
they  never  have   been  able  to  pray  in   fincerity, 
without  indulging  and  exprefling  fuch  a  reafona- 
ble  defire. 

3.  The 


SERMON      XX.  491 

3.  The  friends  of  God  are  urged  to  pray,  with 
fervency  and  importunity,  in  order  to  move  the 
divine  compafEon.     This   feems   to  be  the   fpiiit 
of  the  Prophet's   exhortation  to  the  faints  in  his 
day.     "  Ye  that  make  mention  of  the  Lord,  keep 
not  filence  :  and  give  him  no  rejl  till  he  eftablifh, 
and  till  he  make  Jerufalem  a  praife  in  the  earth." 
God  is  pleafed  to  reprefent  himfelf  as  greatly  in- 
iluenced,  by  the  prayers  of  good  men.     To  them 
he   fays,  "  Concerning  my  fons,  and  concerning 
my  daughters,  command  ye  me"      Again   he  lays, 
"  Though  Mofes  and  Samuel  flood  before  me,  yet 
my  mind  could  not  be  towards  this  people."     And 
he  conv«ys  the  fame  idea  in  ftronger  terms  flill. 
^'  Though  Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job  were  in  the  land, 
they  fliould  deliver  neither   fons  nor  daughters, 
hut  only  ihemfelves."     Thefe  modes  of  expreffion 
clearly  and   forcibly  exprefs  the  prevailing  influ- 
ence of  prayer  upon  the  heart  of  the  Deiiy.    Chrifi: 
likewife  illuftrates  and   inculcates  the  energy   of 
prayer,  by  the  parable  of  the  unjuft  judge  and  im- 
portunate widow.     "  And  he  fpake  a  parable  unto 
this  end,  that  men  ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to 
faint;  Saying,  There  'was  in  a  city  a  judge  which 
feared  not  God,  neither  regarded  man  :  And  there 
was  a  certain  widow  in   that  city;    and  fhe   came 
unto  him,  faying.  Avenge  me  of  mine   adverfary. 
And   he   would  not  for  a  while  :   but  afterward  he 
faid  within  himfelf,  Though  1   fear  not  God,   nor 

regard 


^92         ^SERMON      XX. 

regard  man ;  Yet  becaufe  this  widow  troubleth  me, 
I  will  avenge  her,  left  by  her  continual  coming 
ihe  weary  me.  And  the  Lord  faid.  Hear  what  the 
unjuft  judge  faith.  And  fhall  not  God  avenge 
his  own  eleft,  which  cry  day  and  night  unto  him, 
though  he  bear  long  with  them  ?  I  tell  you  he 
will  avenge  them  fpeedily."  The  plain  and  obvi- 
ous defign  of  this  parable  is,  to  reprefent  the  pow- 
erful influence  of  pious  and  perfevering  prayer, 
to  move  God  to  pity  and  relieve  his  friends  in 
diftrefs.  And  agreeably  to  this,  the  Apoftle  James 
exprefsly  declares,  that,  "the  effeftual  fervent 
prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availtth  much"  Indeed, 
the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture  encourages  faints  to 
call  upon  God,  with  defires  and  hopes  of  moving 
his  compaffion.  It  is  ftill  further  to  be  obferved, 
4.  That  the  prayers  of  good  men  have  actually 
prevailed  upon  God  to  grant  great  and  fignal  fav- 
ors. When  the  children  of  Ifrael  had  made  a 
molten  image,  God  was  highly  difpleafed,  and  felt 
difpofed  to  deftroy  them.  But  Mofes  prayed  and 
his  prayers  prevailed  upon  God  to  fpare  the  idola- 
tors.  This  appears  from  the  account,  which  Mo- 
fes gives  of  that  memorable  event.  "  And  the 
Lord  faid  unto  rne,  Arife,  get  thee  down  quickly 
from  hence  :  for  thy  people  which  thou  haft 
brought  forth  out  of  Egypt  have  corrupted  them- 
felves :  they  are  quickly  turned  afide  out  of  the 
way  which  I  commanded  them  5  they  have  made 

them 


SERMON      XX.  493 

them  a  molten  image.  Furthermore  the  Lord 
^ake  unto  me,  faying,  I  have  feen  this  people>and 
behold,  it  is  a  ftiff-neckcd  people  :  Let  me  alcne^ 
that  I  may  deftroy  them  from  under  heaven  :  and 
I  will  make  of  thee  a  nation  mightier  and  greater 
than  they.  So  I  turned  and  came  down  from  the 
mount — And  I  fell  down  before  the  Lord :  as 
at  the  firft,  forty  days  and  forty  nights:  I  did 
neither  eat  bread  nor  drink  water,  becaufe  of  all 
your  fins  which  ye  finned,  in  doing  wickedly  in  the 
fight  of  the  Lord,  to  provoke  him  to  anger.  For 
I  was  afraid  of  the  anger  and  hot  difpleafure  where- 
with the  Lord  was  wroth  againft  you  to  deftroy 
you.  But  the  Lord  hearkened  unto  me  at  that  time  alfo" 
It  is  here  plainly  intimated,  that  the  prayers  of 
Mofes  once  and  again  moved  God  to  beftow  great 
and  undeferved  favors.  The  prayer  of  Jofhua 
moved  God,  to  ftop  the  courfe  of  nature  and  caufe 
the  fun  and  moon  to  ftand  ftill,  while  he  com- 
pleted his  vi6tory  over  the  enemies  of  Ifra^l.  The 
prayers  of  Job  moved  God  to  forgive  the  folly 
and  prefumption  of  his  three  friends,  who  had  re- 
proached both  him  and  his  Maker.  David  pre- 
vailed upon  God,  by  his  humble  and  fervent  pray- 
er, to  countermand  the  angel,  who  ftood  with  a 
drawn  fword  over  Jerufalem,  to  deftroy  it.  Sam- 
uel often  interceded  and  prevailed  with  God,  to 
fpare  and  blefs  his  rebellious  people.  Though 
Elijah  was  an  imperfeftly   righteous  man,  yet  his 

effeftual 


494  SERMON       XX. 

effeQual  fervent  prayers  availed  much,  to  bring  an(| 
to  remove,  divine  judgments.  The  Apoftle  gives 
this  account  of  the  man,  and  of  his  prayers.  "  Ell- 
as was  a  man  of  like  paflions  as  we  are,  and  he 
prayed  earneftly  that  it  might  not  rain  :  and  it 
ramqd  not  on  the  earth  by  the  fpace  of  three  years 
and  fix  months.  And  he  prayed  again,  and  the 
heaven  gave  rain,  and  the  earth  brought  forth  her 
fruit."  It  was  the  well  knov/n  influence  of  Eli- 
jah's prayers,  in  moving  God  to  fmile  or  frown  up- 
on his  people,  that  extorted  the  fignificant  and 
pathetic  exclamation  of  Elifha,  when  he  faw  him 
glorioully  afcending  to  heaven.  "  My  father,  my 
father,  the  chariot  of  Ifrael,  and  the  horfemen 
thereof."  We  have  another  inftance  of  the  pre^ 
vailing  influence  of  prayer,  in  the  condu6l  of  the 
primitive  chriftians.  While  Peter  was  in  prifon, 
the  church  prayed  inceffantly  for  him,  and  at  length 
prevailed.  For  in  anfwer  to  their  prayers,  God 
miraculoufly  loofed  his  bands,  and  fet  hira  at  liber-^ 
ty.  Thefe  efle6ts  of  prayer,  in  connexion  with 
the  other  conflderations,  which  have  been  fuggeft* 
ed,  afl^brd  fufficient  evidence,  that  it  is  the  dGfign 
of  prayer  to  move  God  to  beftow   favors. 

But  now  fome  may  be  ready  to  afls:,  how  can  this 
be  ?  how  can  prayer  have  the  ieaft  influence  to 
move  the  heart  of  God,  who  is  of  one  mind,  and 
with  whom  there  is  no  variablencfs,  nor  fliadow  of 

lurnjng  ? 

Here 


SERMON    XX.  495 

Here  we  ought  to  confider,  in  the  fiift  placej 
that  the  prayers  of  good  men  are  proper  reafons^ 
why  an  infinitely  wife  and  good  Being  fliould  grant 
their  requeftsv  The  Entreaties  and  tears  of  Jo- 
feph  were  proper  reafons,  why  his  brethren  fhoulct' 
have  fpared  hfm  from  the  pit ;  and  they  were  fi- 
nally conftrained  t6  acknowledge  the  force  of  thofe 
reafons.  "  They  faid  one  to  another.  We  are 
verily  guilty  concerning  our  brother,  in  that  we 
faw  the  angiiifh  of  his  foul,  when  he  befought  us; 
and  we  would  not  hear."  The  cries  of  the  poor 
and  needy  are  proper  rCafons,  why  we  (hould  grant 
them  relief.  And  the  ardent  defires  of  a  dutiful 
child  are  proper  reafons,  why  the  parent  fhould 
gratify  his  feelings.  So,  the  fincere  and  humble 
prayers  of  the  upright  are  proper  reafons,  why  the 
great  Parent  of  all  (hould  fhew  them  favor.  Hence 
fays  the  Pfalmift,  "  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his 
children,-  fo  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  fear  him." 
When  a  faint  (incerely  offers  up  his  defires  to 
God  for  a  certain  favor,  God  views  his  prayer  as  a 
reafon,  why  he  fliould  grant  his  requefl.  And 
when  a  number  of  faints  unite  in  praying  for  any 
public  blefling,  God  views  their  united  petitions  as 
fo  many  reafons,  why  he  fhould  grant  it.  It  is 
true,  indeed,  God  does  not  always  anfwer  the  pray- 
ers of  his  friends,  becaufe  he  often  fees  flronger 
reafons  for  denying,  than  for  granting  their  re- 
quefls.  His  perfeQ;  benevolence  is  under  the  di- 
;re6lion 


496  S     E     R     M     O     N       XX. 

reftion  of  his  unerring  wifdom,  which  always 
leads  him  to  acl  according  to  the  higheft  reafon* 
So  far,  therefore,  as  the  prayers  of  his  people  are 
confident  with  the  general  good,  juft  fo  far  they 
•^.Are  always  a  powerful  and  prevailing  reafon,  for 
the  beftowing  of  divine  favors. 

We  ought  to  confider,  in  the  next  place,  that 
though  God  formed  all  his  purpofes  from  eternity; 
yet  he  formed  them  in  the  view  of  all  the  pious 
petitions,  which  fhould  ever  be  prefented  to  him, 
and  gave  them  all  the  weight  that  they  deferved, 
in  fixing  his  detenninations.  In  determining  to 
forgive  the  idolatry  of  Ifrael,  he  had  refpe8;  to  the 
requefl  of  Mofes.  In  determining  to  caufe  the 
fun  and  moon  to  (land  ftill,  he  had  refpeQ  to  the 
petition  of  Jofliua.  In  determining  to  releafe  Pe- 
ter from  prifon,  he  had  refped  to  the  prcffing  im- 
portunity of  the  church.  Indeed,  all  his  purpofes, 
which  relate  to  the  hciio\'nneni  o^  folicitcd  favors^ 
were  formed  under  the  weight  and  influence  of 
ihofe  prayers,  which  he  intended  to  anfwer.  He 
adapted  preventing,  prelerving,  delivering  mercies 
to  the  prayers  of  his  people,  and  fixed  a  connexion 
between  their  prayers,  and  his  fpecial  interpofitions. 
This  leads  us,  in  the  laft  place,  to  confider  pi- 
ous prayers  as  the  proper  means  of  bringing  about 
the  events  with  which  they  are  connefted  in  the 
divine  purpofe.  Though  God  is  able  to  work- 
without  means,  yet  he  has  been  pleafed  to  adopt 

means 


SERMON     XX. 


497 


means  into  his  plan  of  operation.    And  according 
to  this  mode  of  operation,    means  are  abfolutel/ 
nccefTary  in  order  to  accomplifli  the   defigns  of 
God.     As  he  defigned  to  fave  Noah  and  his  fami- 
ly, by  the   inftrumentality   of  the  ark  ;    fo  it  was 
abfolutely   necelTary  that  the  ark  fliould  be  built. 
As  he  defigned  to  deliver  Ifrael   by  the  hand  of 
Aiofes ;  fo  it  was  abfolutely  neceffary,  that  Mofes 
fhould  be  preferved  by  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh. 
And  as  he  defigned  to  fave  Paul  from,  fliipwreck 
by  the  exertion  of  the  failors ;  fo  it  was  abfolutely 
neceffary  that  the  failojfs  Ihould  abide  in  the  (hip. 
In  the  fame  manner,  the  prayers  of  faints  aire  the 
neceffary  means  of  procuring   thofe   favors,  or  of 
bringing  about  thofe  events,  which  God  has  con- 
nected with  their  petitions.     This  will  appear  from 
a  fingle   confideration.     If  prayers  did  not  really 
operate  as  means,  in  procuring  divine  favors;  then 
it  would  be  as  proper  to  pray  for  divine  bleffings 
after  they  are  granted,  as  before.     But  this  we  all 
know  to  be  abfurd,      Suppofe  a  good  man  hears 
that  his  friend  at  a  diftance  is  dangeroufly  fick,  it  is 
certainly  proper  that  he  fhould  pray  for  his  life. 
But  fuppofing  he  is  credibly  informed,  a  few  weeks 
after,  that  his  friend  is  entirely  feftored  to  health ; 
it  is  certainly  improper  that  he  fhould  continue  to 
pray  for  the  removal  of  his  ficknefs.     The  reafou 
is,  while  his  friend  was  fick,  his  prayers  might  be 
ihe  means  of  procuring  his  recovery  ;  but  after  that 
P  p  p  event 


498  S     E     R     M     (3     N       XX. 

event  had  adually  taken  place,  his  prayers  could 
ho  longer  operate  ^35  means  of  bringing  it  to  pafs. 
Hence  it  appears,  that  the  immutability  of  the  di- 
vine purpofes,  inftead  of  deftroying,  aftually  ef- 
tabliflies  the  neceflity  and  prevalence  of  prayer. 
The  more  indifTolubly  God  has  fixed  the  connec- 
tion between  our  praying  and  his  hearrng,  the 
more  we  are  bound  and  encouraged  to  pray.  Af- 
ter God  had  promifed  his  people  in  Babylon,  that 
he  would  reftore  them  to  their  former  profperity, 
he  exprefsly  faid,  '^  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired 
of  by  the  houfe  of  Ifrael,  to  do  it  for  them."  But 
■who  can  imagine,  that  God^s  proraife  to  blefs  his 
people  in  anfwer  to  prayer,  mould  deftroy  the  pro- 
priety or  the  energy  of  their  prayers  for  promifed 


blelTings  ? 


IMPROVEMENT. 


1.  If  it  be  the  defign  of  prayer  to  move  Gocf 
to  beftow  temporal  and  fpiritual  favors;  then  there 
is  a  propriety  in  praying  yor  others  as  well  sls  for 
mr/elves.  We  find  interceffion  to  be  much  incul- 
cated in  the  word  of  God.  The  Pfalmift  calls  up- 
on faints  to  "  pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerufalem  ;'* 
that  is,  for  the  general  profperity  of  the  church, 
Paul  reprefents  interceflion  as  the  firll  and  princi- 
pal branch  of  prayer.  *'  I  exhort  therefore  that 
firftof  all,  fupplications,  prayers,  interceffions,  and 
giving  of  thanks  be  made"  for  all  men,"     And 

James 


S    E    R    M    O    N      XX.  499 

James  enjoins  the  duty  of  interceffion.upon  every 
chriftian.     "  Cpnfefs  your  faults  one  to  anothea', 
and  pray  one  for  a^nothcr."      Thofe,   \^'ho  pofTels 
univerfal  benevolence,  find  a  peculiar  pleafure  in 
praying  for  otjiers.      And  it  appears  from  Scrip- 
ture, that  the  moft  eminent  faints  have  always  been 
the  moft  remarkable  intercefibrs  at  the  throne  of 
divine  grace.     But  were  it  not  the  defign  of  pray- 
er to  move  God  to  fliev;  mercy,  there  would  be  no 
propriety  nor  importance  in  praying  for  any  but 
ourfelyes.     If,  as  many  pious  divines  have  taught, 
the  only  purpofe  of  prayer  is  to  prepare  ourfelves 
to  receive  or  to  be  denied  divine  favors,  then  there 
feems  to  be  no  ground  or  reafon  to  pray  for  the 
temporal  ar  fpiritual  good  of  our  fellow  men.    Our 
prayers  can  have  nyo  tendency  to  prepare  them  for 
either  the  fmiles  or  frowns  of  heaven.     If  we  pray 
for    their   outward  profpeiity  ;    this  can   have  no 
-tendency  to  prepare  them  for  the  reception  of  ex- 
ternal bleffings.     if  we  pray  for  their  deliverance 
from  outward  evils  |  this  can  have  no  tendency  to 
prepare  them  for  the  removal  of  affllBions.    If  we 
pray  for  their  right  improvement  of  divine  favors 
or  divine  judgments ;  this  can  have  no  tendency  to 
infpire  their  hearts  with  either  gratitude  or  fubmif- 
fion.     Indeed,  our  prayers  for  others  can  anfwer 
no  other  purpofe,  than  that  of  moving  the  Deity  to 
do  them  good.     Take  away  this  defign  of  inter- 
ceffionj  and  it  ceafes  to  have  any  meaning,  and  to 

anfwer 


500  SERMON       XX. 

anfv/er  any  valuable  end.  But  if,  as  we  have  fhown, 
it  "be  the  proper  defign  of  prayer  to  move  the  De- 
ify to  beftow  favors;  then  the  effeQual  fervent 
prayers  of  the  righteous  may  have  a  powerful  ten- 
dency to  draw  down  divine  bleffings  upon  others, 
as  well  as  upon  themfelves.  Upon  this  ground, 
interceffion  appears  to  be  as  proper  and  important, 
as  an^y  other  branch  of  prayer. 

2.  We  are  led  to  conclude,  from  what  has  been 
faid  upon  this  fubjeft,  that  we  have  as  fair  an  op- 
portunity of  obtaining  divine  favors,  as  if  God 
\vere  to  forrn  his  determinations,  at  the  time  we 
prefcnt  pur  petitions.  Many  imagine,  that  it  is 
z  great  difcouragement  to  prayer,  that  God  has 
determined  from  all  eternity,  what  he  will  grant 
and  what  he  will  deny  to  the  children  of  men. 
But  it  appears  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  ouc- 
prayers  may  have  all  the  inflqence  now,  in  pro- 
curing divine  favors,  that  they  could  have,  if  GocJ 
were  now  to  form  his  purpofes  refpe6ling  us.  For 
he  aftually  formed  his  etprnal  purpofes  in  the  full 
view  of  all  our  prayers,  and  gave  thern  all  the 
weight  they  deferyed-  It  is  as  flriclly  true,  there- 
fore, that  our  prayers  move  him  to  grant  us  fa- 
vors, as  if  he  determined  to  grant  them,  at  the 
time  of  pur  praying.  Hence. v;e  have  as  fair  ari 
opportunity  of  prevailing  upon  the  Deity  to  grant 
us  any  particular  fiuu^e  bleffings,  as  if  we  knew  he 

had 


SERMON      XX.  001 

had  yet  t6  form  his  purpofe  of  granting  or  deny- 
ing it.  This  may  be  eafily  and  clearly  illuftrated. 
Suppbfe  two  men  are  condemned  to  die.  Sup- 
pofe  a  certain  day  is  fet  for  each  of  them  to  plead 
for  pardon  before  the  king.  Suppofc  each  crim- 
inal has  a  friend,  who  unknown  to  him,  goes  to 
the  king  before  the  day  appointed,  and  ftates  his 
cafe  exa6lly  as  it  is,  and  offers  all  the  reafons  for 
his  being  pardoned,  that  can  be  offered.  And 
fuppofe  the  king,  upon  hearing  the  pleas  made  in 
favor  of  each  criminal,  abfolutely  determines  to 
pardon  one,  and  to  execute  the  other.  Let  me 
now  afk,  Can  thefe  fixed  determinations  of  the 
king  be  any  difadvantage  to  the  criminals,  when 
they  a6lually  make  their  own  pleas  before  him  on 
the  day  appointed  ?  Thus  God  forefaw  from  eter- 
nity all  his  fuppliants,  and  all  their  fupplications, 
and  gave  them  all  the  weight  that  an  infinitely  wife 
and  benevolent  Being  ought  to  give  them.  Their 
prayers,  therefore,  avail  as  much  as  it  is  pofjible 
they  fhould  avail,  were  God  to  form  his  determine 
ations,  at  the  time  they  fland  praying  before  him. 
But  here  perhaps,  it  may  be  faid,  there  is  no  occa- 
fion  of  their  praying  at  all,  if  God  forefaw  their 
prayers  from  eternity  and  fixed  his  purpofes  in 
connexion  with  them.  The  anfwer  to  this  is  eafy. 
When  God  determines  to  do  any  thing  one  way, 
lie  equally  determines   not  to  do  it  another  way, 

Wheh 


502  SERMON       X^. 

When  he  determines  to  bring  about  any  event  by 
prayer,  he  equally  determines  not  to  bring  about 
that  event  without  prayer.  Thus  when  he  deter- 
mined to  deliver  his  people  from  the  Babylonifh 
captivity,  in  anfwer  to  the  prayers  of  Daniel,  Ezra, 
Nehemiah,  and  other  pious  Jlraelites ;  he  equally 
<ietermined  not  to  deliver  them,  if  he  \vere  noi  in- 
quired of  by  thofe  good  men  to  do  it  for  them. 
Indeed,  the  energy  of  prayer  properly  .confifts  in 
moving  God  to  execute  thofe  purpofes,  which 
were  formed  in  conne6tion  with  prayer.  In  fome 
cafes,  God  has  revealed  jiot  only  his  purpofes, 
.  but  alfo  revealed,  that  they  are  to  be  accomplifh- 
ed  in  anfwer  to  prayer.  In  all  fuch  cafes,  pray- 
ers are  as  neceflary  as  any  other  appointed  mcansj 
of  accomplifhing  the  divine  purpofes.  And  though 
in  mod  cafes,  God  has  not  revealed  his  purpofes, 
nor  whether  they  arc  to  be  accompliflied  by  pray- 
.er;  yet  if  fome  of  his  imrevealed  purpofes  are  con- 
jie6led  with  prayer,  the  accomplifhment  of  ihefe 
particular  purpofes  as  much  depends  upon  prayer, 
as  upon  any  other  means  or  fecond  caufes.  Hence 
it  appears,  that  every  perfon  may  do  as  much  to 
obtain  temporal  as  eternal  bleffings,  by  fincere 
and  fubmiflive  prayer,  as  if  God  had  not,  from 
:eternity,  abfolutely  determined  when,  and  where, 
3nd  upon  whom,  to  beftow  his  favors.  Even  im- 
portunityj  ardor,  and  perfeverence  in  prayer,  are 

as 


SERMON      XX.  50^ 

as  proper  and  as  influential  in  order  to  obtain  any 
divine  blel^ng,  on  fuppofition  of  God's  immuta- 
bility, as  thjy  could*  be  on  fuppofition  of  hi,  be- 
ing now  at  liberty  to  alter  his  paft  purpofes,  or  to 
form  his  determinations  anew.  And  fince  ihii  is 
the  cafe,  "C^e  have  all  the  encouragement  to  pray 
for  divine  favors,  that  rational,  dependent,  ill-de- 
fcrving  cfeatures  can  reafonably  defire,  cc  can 
polfrbly  enjoy.  For  Cod  has  determined,  from 
eternity,  to  hear  every  prayer  that  ought  to  be 
heard. 

3.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  faid,  the  pro- 
priety of  praying  {ox  future^  as  well  as  for  prejtnt 
bleffings.  If  it  were  the  fole  defign  of  prayer  to 
prepare  our  own  hearts  for  the  reception  of  divine 
favors,  there  could  be  no  propriety  in  praying  for 
any  far  diftant  good  to  be  beftowed  upon  ourfelves 
or  others.  But  if  it  be  the  proper  defign  of  ad- 
drefling  the  throne  of  divine  grace,  to  move  the 
compaffion  of  God  ;  then  we  may  pray  for  future 
mercies  with  as  much  propriety  as  forprefent  re- 
lief; and  our  prayers  may  be  of  as  much  avail  to 
draw  down  divine  favors  upon  the  world,  hun- 
dreds and  thoufands  of  years  hence,  as  at  this  day. 
There  is  great  reafon  to  believe,  that  the  prayers 
of  good  men,  in  all  ages,  have  had  a  mighty  influ- 
ence in  moving  God  to  beftow  great  and  extenfive 
bleffings    upon    future    generations   of  mankind. 

Abraham 


504  SERMON       XX. 

Abraham,  Ifaac,and  Jacob,  no  doubt,  prayed,  that 
God  v;oLitd  put  their  future  pofterity  into  the  pof- 
feffion  of  the  land  of  promife.     All  the  while  the 
Jews  were  in  Babylon,  thofe  who  were  Ifraelites 
indeed,  no  doubt,  incelTantly  prayed  for  their  ref- 
toraiion  to  their  native  country,  at  the  period  pre- 
difted.      All  good   men   from   Adam  to  Simeon, 
undoubtedly  prayed  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  firft 
promife,  that  the  feed  of  the  woman  fliould  bruife 
the   ferpent's   head.      In  all   ihefe  inilances,  the 
prayers  of  holy  men  wdre  not  loft,  but  had  great 
iniliience  iq  procuring   long   defired  and   far  dif- 
tant   bleliings.     Our  Saviour   taught  his  difciples 
to  pray  for   the   future  enlargement  of  his  king- 
dom,  faying,  "  Thy  kingdom  come.    Thy  will  be 
done  in  earth   as  it  is  in  heaven/'     God  intends 
to  fend   the  golpel  to  the    ends  of  the  earth,  and 
bring  all   nations  into  his  kingdom.      And  we  may 
prefume,  that    the   fervent  prayers  of   riiyriads  af 
pious  chriflians,  will  avail   much  to   bring  about 
this  great  and  defirable  event.     If  prayer  be  de- 
figned  to  move  God  to  beftow  mercy,  then  it  may 
be  as  proper  and  as  important,  to  pray  for  the  prof- 
perity  of  the  church   and   the    happinefs  of  man- 
kind   to    the  rcmoteft   ages,  as  to   pray  for  any 
prefent  temporal  or  fpiritual  good.     As  the  pray- 
ers of  our  pious   progenitors  have  procured  great 
and  diftinguifhing  favors  for  us ;    fo  our  humble 

and 


S  E   R    M   O    N    XX.  505 

and  fervent  prayers  may  procure  the  bell  of  blef- 
fjngs  for  our  distant  pofterity.  Indeed,  it  is  our 
indifpenfable  duty  to  pray  for  the  accomplifhment 
pf  all  the  purpofes  and  preditljons  of  God,  which 
remain  to  be  accomphfhed. 

4.  It  appears  froni  what  has  ben  faid,  that  faints 
are  in  a  fafe  and  happy  condition.     They  enjoy 
|he  benefit  of  the  prayers  of  all  the  people  of  God. 
Good  men  are  required  to  pray  for  one  another, 
and  they  live  in  the  daily  performance  of  this  da- 
ty.    They  make  interceffions  and  fupplications  for 
all  the  friends  of  Zion.     They  continually  pray 
for  the  enlargement  and  profperity  qf  the  church  ; 
which  is  virtually  praying  for  the  peace,  and'  com- 
fort, and  edification,  of  every  fincere  chriftian  on 
earth.     Thefe  prayers  of  God's  people  are  very 
efficacious.     They   have  all   the  influence,  which 
any  good  man  can  defire,  to  draw  down  the  blef« 
iings  of  God  upon. him.     Muft  it  not  be  a  fource 
of  peculiar  fatisfaclion  to  any  pious  pilgrim  and 
flranger  on  earth,  to  reflefl,  that  all  God's  people 
are  conftantly  praying  for  him,  while  he  is  pafling 
through  this  vale  of  tears  ?   The  effe6lual  fervent 
prayers  of  the  friends  of  God  for  one  another, 
ought  to  comfort,  quicken,  and  animate  them,  to 
run  with  patience  and  confidence  the  race  that  is 
fet  before  them.    They  may  rely  upon  it,  that  they 
A'ill   nQver  be  forgotten    nor  forfaken  of   God, 
Q  (J  q  while 


50^  SERMON       XX. 

while  fo  many  memorials  in  their  favor  are  daily 
prefented  to  the  throne  of  divine  grace. 

5.  This  rabje6l  may  remind  finners  of  what 
they  have  to  fear  from  the  prayers  of  faints.  Their 
united  fupplications  for  the  honor  of  God,  the 
accomplifhment  of  his  defigns,  and  the  overthrow 
of  all  his  incorrigible  enemies,  forebode  terrible 
and  eternal  evils  to  impenitent  finners.  The  pray- 
ers of  Noah  proved  fatal  to  the  old  world.  The 
prayers  of  Lot  proved  fatal  to  Sodom.  The  pray- 
ers of  Mofes  proved  fatal  to  the  Egyptians  and  the 
Amalekites.  The  prayers  of  Jofhua  proved  fatal 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Canaan.  The  prayers  of  Eli- 
jah proved  the  ruin  of  Ahab,  The  prayers  of 
David  deftroyed  Ahitophel.  And  the  Apoftle 
John  reprefents  the  prayers  of  faints  as  one  pro- 
curing caufe  of  the  wafting  judgments,  which  God 
has  fent,  and  is  ftill  fending  upon  the  Antichrif- 
tian  world,  by  the  minifters  of  his  vengeance.  "  I 
faw  the  i^even  angels  which  ftood  before  God ;  and 
to  them  were  given  i^even  trumpets.  And  anoth- 
er angei  came,  and  ftood  at  the  altar  having  a  gold- 
en cenfer :  and  there  was  given  unto  him  much 
incenfe,  that  he  fhould  offer  it  with  ike  prayers  of 
the  faints  upon  the  golden  altar  which  was  before 
the  throne.  And  the  fmoak  of  the  incenfe,  which 
came  with  the  prayers  of  the  faints^  afcended  up  be- 
fore God,  out  of  the  angel's  hand.     And  the  angel 

tpcl^ 


SERMON     XX.  507 

took  the  cenfer,  and  filled  it  with  fire  of  the  altar, 
and  caft  it  into  the  earth  :  and  there  were  voices, 
and  thundcrings,  and  lightenings,  and  an  earth- 
quake. And  the  feven  angels  which  had  the  fev- 
en  trumpets  prepared  themfelves  to  found."  This 
is  a  lively  reprefentation  of  the  power  of  prayer, 
to  enkindle  the  wrath  of  God  againfi  the  enemies 
of  his  church.  The  wicked,  therefore,  have  abun- 
dant reafon  to  tremble  at  the  powerful  intercef- 
fion  of  the  people  of  God  againft  them.  In  their 
prefent  ftate,  they  have  nothing  to  expert,  but 
that  the  prayers  of  faints  will  prove  their  final  ru- 
in. They  certainly  will,  unlefs  they  repent  and 
believe  the  gofpel. 

6.  Since  prayer  has  fuch  a  prevailing  influence 
upon  the  heart  of  the  Deity,  faints  have  great  en- 
couragement to  abound  in  this  duty.  They  are 
formed  for  this  devout  and  holy  exercife.  Hav- 
ing become  the  children  of  God,  they  polTefs  the 
fpirit  of  adoption,  wfeich  is  the  fpirit  of  grace  and 
fupplication.  It  was  faid  of  Saul  of  Tarfus,  as 
foon  as  he  was  converted,  "behold!  he  prayeth." 
Prayer  is  the  proper  bufinefs  of  good  men,  who 
have  the  greateft  encouragement  to  call  upon  God, 
without  ceafing.  Jacob  wreftled  with  God  and 
prevailed.  And  God  has  never  (liid  to  the  feed 
of  Jacob,  "Seek  ye  me  in  vain."  Thair  prayers 
are  always  heard  and  excepted,  even  though  the 

things 


5o8  SERMON       XX. 

things  they  pray  for  be  not  immediately,  nor  even- 
tually granted.  But  befides  this,  there  are  many 
other  motives,  ^vhich  ought  to  prevail  upon  all 
good  men  to  abound  in  the  duty  of  prayer. 

Let  ihenii  confider,  in  the  firft  place,  that  thij 
duly  is  very  generally  negleBed.  Though  all  mert 
ought  to  pray,  ahd  not  to  faint ;  yet  how  many 
caft  off  fear  and  retrain  prayer  before  God  ?  How 
many  rife  up  and  lie  down,  go  out  and  come  in, 
without  acknowledging  God  in  any  of  their  ways? 
How  many  are  {^o  averfe  from  prayer,  that  nothing 
but  fome  threatening  danger,  or  preffing  calamity, 
can  bring  them  to  the  throne  of  divine  grace  ? 
How  many  prayerlefs  families,  and  prayerlefs  per- 
fons,  are  to  be  found  in  every  place  ?  This 
melancholy  refle6lion  ought  to  animate  the  few 
friends  of  God  in  the  world,  to  cry  mightily  for  them- 
felves,  and  for  thoughilefs,  guilty,  perifliing  fin- 
ners. 

Let  them  confider,  in  the  ntxt  place,  the  pecul- 
iar pleafure  to  be  found  in  devotion.  When  da 
faints  enjoy  more  of  heaven  upon  earth,  than 
while  they  are  drawing  near  to  God,  and  un- 
bofoming  themfelves  to  their  heavenly  Father  ? 
What  divine  faiisfaflion  did  Job,  David,  Daniel, 
and  other  devout  men  enjoy,  while  they  were  fer- 
vently praying  for  the  peace  and  profperity  of  Zi- 
on  ?  Prayer  naturally  fixes  the  attention  upon  the 
chara6ler.  the  condu6tj  and  the  defigns  of  the  De« 


SERMON      XX. 


509 


ity,  and  upon  all  thofe  great  ^nd  amiable  objcBs, 
■which  are  fuited  to  gratify  every  holy  and  devout 
affe6Hon.  Jacob  never  enjoyed  a  happier  feafon, 
than  while  his  whole  foul  was  vigoroufly  wreft- 
ling  with  God  in  prayer.  God  is  ever  ready  to 
reward  thofe,  who  call  upon  him  in  fincerity,  with 
the  peculiar  manife6lations  of  his  love.  And 
this  is  Certainly  an  animating  motive  to  pray  with- 
out ceafing  and  without  fainting.   • 

Let  them  confider,  in  the  third  place,  that  hum- 
ble, fervent,  conftant  prayer  will  give  them  life 
find  fpirit  in  the  performance  of  all  other  duties. 
They  will  meditate,  they  will  read  the  word  of 
God,  they  will  hear  the  gofpel  preached,  they  will 
attend  divine  ordinances,  they  will  purfue  their 
fecular  concerns,  and  converfe  with  their  fellow 
men,  very  much  in  the  fame  manner,  in  which 
they  call  upon  God.  If  they  maintain  a  daily  in- 
tercourfe  with  the  Deiiy,  and  fincerely  implore 
his  gracious  prefence  and  affiftance,  they  will  find 
themfelves  ready  to  every  good  work,  and  exhibit 
an  amiable  example  of  virtue  and  piety  to  all  a- 
round  them.  They  will  moft  certainly  live  as 
they  pray. 

In  the  laft  place,  let  them  ferioufly  confider, 
that  conftancy,  fincerity,  and  fervency  in  prayer, 
will  be  the  beft  means  to  prepare  them  for  dying. 
It  is  the  natural  tendency  of  this  duty  to  infpire 

the 


5 


lo  SERMON      XX. 


the  mind  with  clear  and  realizing  views  of  in- 
vifible  and  divine  objefts.  It  is  principally  by 
prayer,  that  faints  familiarize  the  fcenes,  which  lie 
beyond  the  grave,  and  prepare  for  an  eafy  and 
joyful  tranfition  out  of  time  into  eternity.  Hence 
we  find  the  ancient  patriarchs  fpent  their  laft  mo- 
ments in  prayer.  The  laft  words  of  David  were 
employed  in  thankfgiving  and  praife.  Stephen 
died  calling  upon  God.  And  the  great  Redeem- 
er expired  in  the  acl  of  praying.  Thofe,  who  live 
prayerfully,  are  prepared  to  die  prayerfully.  And 
who  would  not  wifh  to  leave  this  world,  and  ap- 
pear before  God,  in  a  praying  frame  ? 


EI7D  OF  THE  VOLUME. 


^^f^S'-i 


r 


